The given name Eric is derived from the name Ei(r)ríkr, meaning "eternal ruler," compounded from the words ei(r) "eternal" (cognate to English aye meaning always and Latin aevum, among others) and ríkr,"ruler" in Old Norse (cognate to -rix in Celtic names and the Latin noun rex, among others). The most common historical form in Scandinavia is Erik. In Norway, an older form of the name is Eirik that is still seen, but Erik is more commonly used in Norway today as it is in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. In Finland, the form Erkki is also used. The modern Icelandic version is Eiríkur.[1][2][3]
Although the name was in use in Anglo-Saxon Britain, its use was reinforced by Scandinavian settlers arriving before the Norman Invasion. It was an uncommon name in England until the Middle Ages, when it gained popularity, and finally became a common name in the 19th century. This was partly because of the publishing of the novel Eric, or, Little by Little by Frederick William Farrer in 1858. The Erik spelling, although traditional in Scandinavia, is increasingly common among Latinos in the United States, partly because of famous Latinos such as Erik Estrada. Erick is another spelling used in the United States, which may also be a variant of the name Frederick[4]. This spelling is predominately used by African-Americans, such as author Erick Gray and hip-hop artist Erick Sermon. Eric is used in French, and in Germany Erich and Erik are both used.
The official name day for Erik (Eric) is May 18 in Sweden and Norway.
In contemporary Israel, the name "Aric" or "Arik" (אריק) is often used, officially as a dimunitive of "Ariel" or "Aryeh", but considered to be an effort to emulate the European name. The most well-known case is that of former PM Ariel Sharon, often known informally as Arik Sharon.
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