The

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...

Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, Eirik, or Eiríkur is derived from the

Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...

name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to

monophthongization Monophthongization is a sound change by which a diphthong becomes a monophthong, a type of vowel shift. It is also known as ungliding, as diphthongs are also known as gliding vowels. In languages that have undergone monophthongization, digrap ...

). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older

Proto-Norse Proto-Norse (also called Ancient Nordic; Danish and ; ; ; ) was an Indo-European language spoken in Scandinavia that is thought to have evolved as a northern dialect of Proto-Germanic in the first centuries CE. It is the earliest stage of a c ...

''* aina(z)'', meaning "one, alone, unique", ''as in the form'' ''Æ∆inrikr'' explicitly, but it could also be from ''* aiwa(z)'' "everlasting,

eternity Eternity, in common parlance, is an Infinity, infinite amount of time that never ends or the quality, condition or fact of being everlasting or eternal. Classical philosophy, however, defines eternity as what is timeless or exists outside tim ...

", as in the Gothic form ''

Euric Euric ( Gothic: 𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃, ''Aiwareiks'', see ''Eric''), also known as Evaric ( 420 – 28 December 484), son of Theodoric I, ruled as king (''rex'') of the Visigoths, after murdering his brother, Theodoric II, from ...

''. The second element ''- ríkr'' stems either from

Proto-Germanic Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the linguistic reconstruction, reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic languages, Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. Proto-Germanic eventually developed from ...

''* ríks'' "king, ruler" (cf. Gothic ''

reiks Reiks (; pronunciation ; Latinized as ''rix'') is a Gothic title for a tribal ruler, often translated as "king". In the Gothic Bible, it translates to the Greek '' árchōn'' (ἄρχων). It is presumably translated as '' basiliskos'' (βα ...

'') or the therefrom derived ''* ríkijaz'' "kingly, powerful, rich, prince"; from the common

Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. No direct record of Proto-Indo-European exists; its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-Euro ...

root * h₃rḗǵs. The name is thus usually taken to mean "sole ruler, autocrat" or "eternal ruler, ever powerful". ''Eric'' used in the sense of a proper noun meaning "one ruler" may be the origin of '' Eriksgata'', and if so it would have meant "one ruler's journey".''Swedish etymological dictionary'', by Elof Hellquist (1922), p. 121
/ref> The tour was the medieval Swedish king's journey, when newly elected, to seek the acceptance of peripheral provinces. ''Eric'' is one of the most commonly used Germanic names in the United States, along with

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...

and others. The most common spelling across

Fennoscandia __NOTOC__ Fennoscandia (Finnish language, Finnish, Swedish language, Swedish and ; ), or the Fennoscandian Peninsula, is a peninsula in Europe which includes the Scandinavian Peninsula, Scandinavian and Kola Peninsula, Kola peninsulas, mainland ...

and in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

is ''Erik''. In

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

, another form of the name (which has kept the Old Norse diphthong) ''Eirik'' () is also commonly used. The modern Icelandic version is ''Eiríkur'' (), while the modern Faroese version is ''Eirikur''. In

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

and

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

(where Fenno-Swedish remains an official minority language), the standard Nordic name form ''Erik'' is found, but it may also be spelled phonetically as '' Eerik'' (), in accordance with Finnic language

orthography An orthography is a set of convention (norm), conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, punctuation, Word#Word boundaries, word boundaries, capitalization, hyphenation, and Emphasis (typography), emphasis. Most national ...

, along with a slew of other unique Balto-Finnic variant forms including '' Eerikki'', '' Eero'', '' Erki'' and '' Erkki''. Although the name was in use in Anglo-Saxon England, its use was reinforced by

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

n settlers arriving before the

Norman conquest of England The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, French people, French, Flemish people, Flemish, and Bretons, Breton troops, all led by the Du ...

. It was an uncommon name in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

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 ''Eric, or, Little by Little'' is a book by Frederic W. Farrar, first edition 1858. It was published by Adam & Charles Black, Edinburgh and London. The book deals with the descent into moral turpitude of a boy at a boarding school or English Publ ...

'' by Frederic Farrar in 1858. The

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

form of the name is ''Euricus'' or '' Erīcus'' (), which was also adopted into

Old Swedish Old Swedish ( Modern Swedish: ) is the name for two distinct stages of the Swedish language that were spoken in the Middle Ages: Early Old Swedish (), spoken from about 1225 until about 1375, and Late Old Swedish (), spoken from about 1375 unti ...

usage (for example, cf. 15th century Kalmar Swedish historian Ericus Olai). Whence come the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

forms Ερίκος (Eríkos) or Ερρίκος (Erríkos) (both ), in addition to the direct Nordic borrowing Έρικ (Érik). ''Éric'' () is used in French, ''Erico'' in

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

, ''Érico'' in Portuguese. (Note some phonetically simplified modern forms may be conflated with descendants of cognate name Henry via Henrīcus, Henrik, from

Haimarīks, sharing the stem *rīks.) Among

Slavic languages The Slavic languages, also known as the Slavonic languages, are Indo-European languages spoken primarily by the Slavs, Slavic peoples and their descendants. They are thought to descend from a proto-language called Proto-Slavic language, Proto- ...

, most using the

Latin alphabet The Latin alphabet, also known as the Roman alphabet, is the collection of letters originally used by the Ancient Rome, ancient Romans to write the Latin language. Largely unaltered except several letters splitting—i.e. from , and from � ...

borrow ''Erik'', but there also exists Polish '' Eryk''. The name is adapted into

Cyrillic The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...

as Russian Э́йрик (Éyrik) or Э́рик (Érik), and Ukrainian Е́рік (Érik). The

Baltic languages The Baltic languages are a branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family spoken natively or as a second language by a population of about 6.5–7.0 million people

use forms such as Latvian '' Ēriks'' and Lithuanian ''Erikas''. Meanwhile in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

, ''Ерік'' (''Erik'') is used. And in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, ''Eric'', ''Erik'' and ''Erich'' are used.Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache (GfdS): Beliebteste Vornamen
Gfds.de. Retrieved 1 February 2013. In

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

, the most common spelling is ''Erick''. In

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

and

, the

name day In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, as well as Christian communities elsewhere. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively t ...

for derivations of Erik and Eirik is 18 May, commemorating the death of Saint King Eric IX of Sweden, founder of the royal House of Eric. The feminine derivative is '' Erica'' or ''Erika''.

Royalty

Visigothic

, king of the Visigoths between 466 and 484

Danish

* Eric I of Denmark, king of Denmark between 1095 and 1103 *

Eric II of Denmark Eric II the Memorable (; – 18 September 1137) was king of Denmark between 1134 and 1137. Eric was an illegitimate son of Eric I of Denmark, who ruled Denmark from 1095 to 1103. Eric the Memorable rebelled against his uncle Niels of Denmark, and ...

, king of Denmark between 1134 and 1137 * Eric III of Denmark, king of Denmark from 1137 until he abdicated in 1146 * Eric IV of Denmark, king of Denmark from 1241 until his murder in 1250 * Eric V of Denmark, son of Christopher I, reigned from 1259 to his murder in 1286 *

Eric VI of Denmark Eric VI Menved (1274 – 13 November 1319) was King of Denmark (1286–1319). A son of King Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg, he became king in 1286 at age 12, when his father was murdered on 22 November by unknown assailants. On account of his ...

, firstborn son of Eric V, reigned from 1286 to 1319 * Eric VII of Denmark, also Eric III of Norway and Eric XIII of Sweden, reigned from 1397 to his deposition in 1439

Norwegian

* Eric I of Norway (Eric Bloodaxe), the second king of Norway * Eric II of Norway, the king of Norway from 1280 until 1299 * Eric III of Norway, also Eric VII of Denmark and Eric XIII of Sweden *

Eiríkr Hákonarson Erik Hakonsson, also known as Eric of Hlathir or Eric of Norway (; 960s – 1020s), was Earl of Lade, Governor of Norway and Earl of Northumbria. He was the son of Earl Hákon Sigurðarson and brother of the legendary Aud Haakonsdottir of Lade. ...

, earl of Lade, ruler of Norway and earl of Northumbria *

Erik the Red Erik Thorvaldsson (), known as Erik the Red, was a Norse explorer, described in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first European settlement in Greenland. Erik most likely earned the epithet "the Red" due to the color o ...

, the son of Þorvaldr Ásvaldsson

Swedish

* Alaric and Eric, two legendary kings of Sweden * Jorund and Eirik, two legendary kings of Sweden * Erik Björnsson, one of the sons of Björn Ironside * Erik Refilsson, Swedish legendary king * Eric Anundsson, Swedish legendary king who ruled during the 9th century, may be the same as Erik Weatherhat, a more or less mythical Swedish king *

Eric the Victorious Eric the Victorious (Old Norse: ''Eiríkr inn sigrsæli'', Modern Swedish: ''Erik Segersäll''; c. 945 – c. 995) was a Swedish monarch as of around 970. Although there were earlier Swedish kings, he is the first Swedish king in a consecutive re ...

, king of the Swedes during the second half of the 10th century * Eric and Eric, two pretenders around 1066 * Eric IX of Sweden, Swedish king between 1150 and 1160, called Saint Eric, Eric the Lawgiver, Eric the Saint, or Eric the Holy *

Eric X of Sweden Erik Knutsson (; – 10 April 1216), sometimes known as Eric X, was King of Sweden between 1208 and 1216. Also known as ''Erik the Survivor'' (), he was, at his accession to the throne, the only remaining son of King Knut Eriksson and his quee ...

, the King of Sweden between 1208 and 1216 * Eric XI of Sweden, the son of king Erik X of Sweden and Rikissa of Denmark * Eric XII of Sweden, rival King of Sweden and to his father Magnus IV from 1356 to his death in 1359 * Eric XIII of Sweden, Eric of Pomerania *

Eric XIV of Sweden Erik XIV or Eric XIV (13 December 153326 February 1577) became King of Sweden following the death of his father, Gustav I, on 29 September 1560. During a 1568 rebellion against him, Erik was incarcerated by his half-brother John III. He w ...

, King of Sweden from 1560 until he was deposed in 1568

Given name

Eric, Erich, and Erik are very common given names. The below list is a sampling. See , , and for comprehensive lists.

A–E

* Erik (wrestler), stage name for American professional wrestler Raymond Rowe Sr. (born 1984) * Erik Aadahl (born 1976), American sound editor * Erik Aaes (1899–1966), Danish set designer and art director * Eric Abidal (born 1979), French former professional footballer *

Eric Adams Eric Leroy Adams (born September 1, 1960) is an American politician and former police officer who has served as the 110th mayor of New York City since 2022. Adams was an officer in the New York City Transit Police and then the New York City P ...

, American politician and retired police officer * Erich Carl Hugo Adamson (1902–1968), Estonian artist * Eric the Actor, television actor, radio personality * Eric Adjetey Anang, Ghanaian artist * Erik Affholter (born 1966), American football player * Erik Agard, American crossword solver, constructor, and editor * Eric Aho (born 1966), American painter * Eric Albronda (born 1945), American musician * Eric Allen (born 1965), American football coach * Erick Allen (born 1975), Georgia House of Representatives former member * Eric Alterman (born 1960), American historian, journalist, author, media critic, blogger, and educator *

Eric Ambler Eric Clifford Ambler OBE (28 June 1909 – 23 October 1998) was an English author of thrillers, in particular spy novels, who introduced a new realism to the genre. Also working as a screenwriter, Ambler used the pseudonym Eliot Reed for books ...

(born 1909), English writer of thrillers and spy novels * Eric Andersen (born 1943), American singer-songwriter * Erik Andersen (disambiguation), several people * Erik Andersson (disambiguation), several people * Eric Andersen (artist) (born 1940), Danish artist * Eric Anderson (disambiguation), multiple people *

Eric André Eric Samuel André (born April 4, 1983) is an American comedian, actor, television host, writer, producer, and musician. He is best known as the creator, host, and co-writer of the Adult Swim surreal comedy series '' The Eric Andre Show'' (2012� ...

, American comedian * Eric Andrews (1933–2001), Australian historian, academic and author * Eric Angle (born 1967), American former amateur and professional wrestler * Eric Arndt (born 1986), American professional wrestler * Eric Appel (born 1980), American filmmaker * Eric Ash (1928–2021), British electrical engineer * Eric Arnold, American journalist and author * Eric Arnold (footballer) (1922–2002), English footballer *

Eric Ayala Eric Ayala (born January 2, 1999) is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player for Atléticos de San Germán of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He played college basketball for Maryland Terrapins men's basketball, Maryland. High schoo ...

(born 1999), Puerto Rican basketball player *

Eric Bana Eric Martin Andrew Banadinović (born 9 August 1968), known professionally as Eric Bana (), is an Australian actor. He began his career in the sketch-comedy series '' Full Frontal'' before gaining notice in the comedy drama '' The Castle'' (199 ...

(born 1968), Australian actor * Eric Banks (American football) (born 1998), American football player * Eric Wollencott Barnes (1907–1962), American educator, diplomat, actor, and writer * Eric Bauman, eBaum's World founder *

Eric Bauza Eric Bauza (born December 7, 1979) is a Canadian voice actor based in the United States. He is mostly known for voicing several ''Looney Tunes'' characters, for which he won three Emmy Awards for his performances in '' Looney Tunes Cartoons'' (20 ...

(born 1979), American voice actor * Eric Bazilian (born 1953), American singer, songwriter, arranger and producer, member of

The Hooters The Hooters is an American rock music, rock band, which was founded in Philadelphia in 1980. They combine elements of rock, reggae, ska, and folk music. The Hooters first gained major commercial success in the United States in the mid-1980s du ...

* Erich Beer (born 1946), German footballer * Eric Beishline, American convicted murderer * Eric Bell (disambiguation), several people * Eric Bellinger (born 1984), American singer and songwriter * Eric Bentley (1916–2020), British-born American theater critic, playwright, singer, editor, and translator *

Eric Benét Eric Benét Jordan (born October 15, 1966) is an American R&B singer-songwriter and musician. He has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Early life and education Benét was born on October 15, 1966, in Mobile, Alabama. He was raised in Mi ...

(born 1966), American singer-songwriter and actor * Eric Bercovici (1933–2014), American television and film producer and screenwriter *

Eric Berry James Eric Berry (born December 29, 1988) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a Safety (gridiron football position), safety for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played co ...

American football player; Kansas City Chiefs strong safety * Eric Berry (actor) (1913–1993), British stage and film actor * Erick Berry (1892–1974), American writer, illustrator and editor * Eric Bieniemy (born 1969), American football player and coach *

Eric Bischoff Eric Aaron Bischoff (born May 27, 1955) is an American television producer, Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Booker, professional wrestling booker, promoter, and performer. He is best known for serving as Executive Producer and later Sen ...

(born 1955), American television producer, professional wrestling booker, and performer * Eric Marlon Bishop, American actor and musician known by the stage name

Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. Known for his work in both the screen and music industries, his accolades include an Academy Award, a Grammy Award ...

* Eric Arthur Blair, English author known by his pen-name

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950) was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, and critic who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to a ...

* Eric Blore, English character actor * Eric Boe (born 1964), United States Air Force fighter pilot Colonel, test pilot, a Civil Air Patrol member, and a NASA astronaut * Eric Bolling (born 1963), American news commentator * Erik Gustaf Boström (1842–1907), Swedish landowner and politician * Erik Bottcher (born 1979), American politician * Eric Boulter (born 1952), Australian swimmer, athlete, and wheelchair basketball player * Eric Butorac (born 1981) American tennis player * Eric DeWayne Boyd (born 1972), American criminal convicted of the kidnapping, rape and murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom * Eric L. Boyd, American software engineer * Erik Brahe (1722–1756), Swedish count executed for treason * Erik Brahe (1552–1614), Swedish governor, councilor and count of Visingsborg * Erich Brandenberger, German general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II * Erik Brann (1950-2003), American singer and guitarist known for

Iron Butterfly Iron Butterfly was an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal m ...

* Eric R. Braverman (born 1957), American physician *

Eric Braeden Eric Braeden (born Hans-Jörg Gudegast; April 3, 1941) is a German-American film and television actor, known for his roles as Victor Newman (fictional character), Victor Newman (from 1980) on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', as H ...

(born 1941), German-born film and television actor * Eric Brodkowitz, Israeli-American baseball pitcher for the

Israel national baseball team The Israel National Baseball Team () represents Israel in international competitions. It is managed by Ian Kinsler. At the 2017 WBC, Team Israel came in 6th. In 2022, Israel was ranked 20th in the world. The Israel national baseball team compete ...

* Eric "Nick" Bravin (born 1971), American Olympic fencer *

Erik Breukink Erik Breukink (born 1 April 1964) is a former Dutch professional road racing cyclist. In 1988, Breukink won the youth competition in the Tour de France. In 1990, finished 3rd in the 1990 Tour de France. Most recently, he served as the manager of ...

, Dutch racing cyclist *

Eric Brewer (ice hockey) Eric Peter Brewer (born April 17, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2000 to 2015. He is an NHL All-Star and Olympic gold medalist. He began his car ...

, Canadian ice hockey player * Eric Bruskotter, American actor * Erik Bryggman (1891–1955), Finnish architect *

Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer and songwriter. He was previously the lead vocalist of the rhythm and blues, R&B and Rock music, rock band The Animals and the funk band War (band), War. He is regarded as one of the Br ...

, English vocalist, songwriter and frontman of

The Animals The Animals, currently billed as Eric Burdon & the Animals (featuring original frontman Eric Burdon) and also as Animals & Friends (featuring original drummer John Steel (drummer), John Steel), are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Ne ...

* Erick Cabaco, Uruguayan footballer * Eric Campbell (disambiguation), several people * Erik Campbell (born 1966), American gridiron football coach and former player * Eric Cantona (born 1966), French footballer *

Eric Cantor Eric Ivan Cantor (born June 6, 1963) is an American lawyer and former politician who represented Virginia's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2014. A Republican, Cantor served as House Mino ...

, American politician * Érik Canuel (born 1961), Canadian film director and actor * Eric Carle, children's author *

Eric Carmen Eric Howard Carmen (August 11, 1949 – March 2024) was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the lead vocalist of the Raspberries, with whom he recorded the hit " Go All the Way" and four albums. He embarked on a so ...

(1949–2024), American singer and musician * Erik Carrasco, Chilean basketball player * Erick Castillo, Ecuadorian footballer * Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Cameroonian footballer * Eric Church, American country music singer and songwriter *

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...

(born 1945), English guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter * Eric Clay (1922–2007), British rugby league referee * Eric L. Clay (born 1948), United States circuit judge * Eric Cobham (c. 1700 – 1760?), British pirate whose existence is disputed * Erick Brian Colón, singer, member of

CNCO CNCO was an American latin boy band based in Miami, Miami, Florida. The group consisted of Richard Camacho, Erick Brian Colón, Christopher Vélez and ZABDIEL, Zabdiel De Jesús; Joel DELEŌN, Joel Pimentel was a member until his departure in M ...

* Erich Consemüller, German Bauhaus-trained architect and photographer * Erik Cornell (1930–2024), Swedish diplomat * Eric "Bobo" Correa (born 1968), American percussionist * Eric Christensen (visual effects supervisor) * Eric J. Christensen, American astronomer * Erik Christensen (disambiguation), several people * Eric Cooke (1931–1964), Australian serial killer * Eric Crawford (disambiguation), several people * Éric de Cromières (1953–2020), French sports executive * Eric Czapnik (1958–2009), Polish Ottawa Police Service member *

Eric Dane Eric William Dane (born November 9, 1972) is an American actor. After multiple television roles in the 1990s and 2000s, which included his recurring role as Jason Dean in ''Charmed'', Dane was cast as Mark Sloan (Grey's Anatomy), Mark Sloan on ' ...

(born 1972), American actor * Eric Darius (born 1982), American saxophonist, vocalist, songwriter, producer, and educator * Erik Darling (1933–2008), American songwriter and a folk music artist * Eric Davidson (survivor) (1915–2009), one of the last survivors of the Halifax Explosion * Eric H. Davidson (1937–2015), American biologist * Eric Decker, American football player * Erik Dekker, Dutch racing cyclist * Erik Del Bufalo, Venezuelan philosopher * Erick Delgado, Peruvian footballer *

Erik von Detten Erik Thomas von Detten (born October 3, 1982) is an American actor and singer. He is known for his roles in '' Escape to Witch Mountain'', ''Toy Story'', '' Brink!'', ''Meego'', '' The Princess Diaries'', '' Complete Savages'', and '' So Weird'' ...

(born 1982), former American actor * Eric Dever, American painter *

Eric Dickerson Eric Demetric Dickerson (born September 2, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the SMU Mustangs, earning unanimous ...

, American football player * Eric Dier (born 1994), English footballer * Erik Durm, German footballer * Eric Easton (1927–1995), English record producer * Erik Edman, Swedish footballer * * Eric Embry (born 1959), American retired professional wrestler * Eric Erickson (disambiguation), multiple people *

Erik Erikson Erik Homburger Erikson (born Erik Salomonsen; 15 June 1902 – 12 May 1994) was a German-American child psychoanalyst and visual artist known for his theory on psychosocial development of human beings. He coined the phrase identity crisis. ...

, German-born American developmental psychologist * Eric Erlandson (born 1963), American musician, guitarist, and writer *

Eric Esch Eric David Scott Esch (born August 3, 1966), is an American television personality and retired professional boxer, kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler better known by his nickname "Butterbean". A competitor in the heavy ...

, American boxer * Eric Esrailian, American physician at the David Geffen School of Medicine * Eric J. Essene (1939–2011), American professor emeritus of geosciences and a metamorphic petrologist * Erik Estrada, American actor * Erik Ezelius (born 1986), Swedish politician * Erik Ezukanma (born 2000), American football player

F–L

* Erick Farias (born 1997), Brazilian footballer * Erich von Falkenhayn (1861–1922), Chief of the German General Staff during the First World War * Eric Felton, American football player *

Eric Foner Eric Foner (; born February 7, 1943) is an American historian. He writes extensively on American political history, the history of freedom, the early history of the Republican Party, African American biography, the American Civil War, Reconstr ...

(born 1943) American historian * Erik Frank, Finnish cyclist * Eric Franklin (born 1957), Swiss dancer * Erik Ivar Fredholm, Swedish mathematician * Eric Frenzel (born 1988), German Nordic combined skier * Eric Friedler (born 1954), American tennis player *

Eric Fromm Eric Fromm (born June 27, 1958) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. Tennis career Fromm's best result at a Grand Slam was reaching the fourth round of the 1983 French Open – Men's singles, French Open in 1983 in s ...

(born 1958), American tennis player *

Erich Fromm Erich Seligmann Fromm (; ; March 23, 1900 – March 18, 1980) was a German-American social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. He was a German Jew who fled the Nazi regime and set ...

, German sociologist and writer * Eric Fructuoso (born 1976), Filipino actor and comedian *

Eric Gale Eric Gale (September 20, 1938 – May 25, 1994) was an American jazz and jazz fusion guitarist. Biography Eric Gale was born in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. His grandfather was English, and Gale had relatives in Venezuela and Bar ...

(1938–1994), American jazz and R&B guitarist * Eric Gales (born 1974), American blues rock guitarist *

Eric Garcetti Eric Michael Garcetti (born February 4, 1971) is an American politician and diplomat who served as the List of ambassadors of the United States to India, United States ambassador to India from 2023 to 2025. He was the 42nd mayor of Los Angeles f ...

(born 1971), American politician and diplomat * Eric Garcia (disambiguation), multiple people * Eric Gargiulo (born 1972), American wrestling announcer, wrestler, commentator, and radio show host * Eric Garror (born 2000), American football player * Eric Gee (1913–1989), British architectural historian * Erik Gustaf Geijer, Swedish writer, historian, and composer * Eric Gilliland, American television producer, writer, actor and whistler * Eric F. Goldman (1916–1989), American historian * Erich Gonzales (born 1990), Filipina actress * Eric Gonzalez (disambiguation), several people **

Eric Gonzalez (lawyer) Eric Gonzalez (born January 24, 1969) is an American attorney who is currently serving as the district attorney for Kings County in Brooklyn, New York. Gonzalez became the acting district attorney in October 2016 after his predecessor Kenneth ...

, American lawyer ** Eric Gonzalez (musician) (born 1995), Mexican hip hop musician and rapper * Erik González (born 1991), Dominican baseball player * Eric Gordon (born 1988), American professional basketball player * Eric Gorfain, American violinist * Eric Gray (disambiguation), multiple people * Erick Green (born 1991), American basketball player * Eric Greitens, American politician, author, and Navy SEAL *Eric Griffin (basketball) (born 1990), American basketball player *Eric Griffiths (1940–2005), English musician and dry cleaner *Eric Griffiths (critic) (1953–2018), British academic and literary critic *Erik Guay, Canadian alpine skier *Eric Guggenheim (born 1973), American screenwriter *Eric Gutierrez, American college baseball coach and former professional baseball first basemen *Érick Gutiérrez (born 1995), Mexican professional footballer *Eric Hacker, American professional baseball pitcher *Erick Hallett (born 2000), American football player *Erik Hamrén, Swedish football coach *Eric Harper, New Zealand sportsman *Eric Harris (disambiguation), multiple people *Erich Hartmann, German WWII fighter ace *Eric A. Havelock, British classicist *Eric Hayes, British soldier *Eric Hayes (American football), American football player *Eric Heiden, American speed skater *Erik Heinrichs, Finnish general *Eric Hill, English author and illustrator *Eric Himelfarb, Canadian ice hockey player *Eric and Susan Hiscock, Eric Hiscock (1908–1986), British sailor and author *Eric Hoffer (1902–1983), American moral and social philosopher *Eric Holcomb, American politician *Eric Holle, American football player * Eric Holmback (1916–1965), American professional wrestler, also known by ring name Yukon Eric *Eric Holtz (born 1965), American Head Coach of the Israel national baseball team *Erich Honecker, (1922–1993), East German leader *Eric Hosmer, American baseball player *Eric Hutchinson, American singer-songwriter *Eric Idle, English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer *Eric Jacobson, American puppeteer *Eric Jarvis (1907–1987), Rhodesian lawyer and judge *Erik Flensted-Jensen (1908–1993), founder and leader of the Danish Gym Team *Eric Jensen (racing driver) (born 1970), Canadian race team owner and race car driver *Erik Jensen (disambiguation), multiple people *Eirik Jensen, Norwegian former policeman turned criminal *Eric Johnson (guitarist, born 1954), Eric Johnson, American guitarist and recording artist *Erik Johnson, American hockey player *Erik Jorpes, Finnish-born Swedish physician and biochemist *Eric Jungmann (born 1981), American actor *Eric Kandel (born 1929), Austrian-American physician and Nobel Prize laureate *Erik Axel Karlfeldt, Swedish Nobel Prize winning poet *Erik Karlsson, Swedish hockey player *Erich Kästner, (1899–1974), German author, poet, screenwriter and satirist *Erik Keedus, Estonian basketball player *Erik af Klint (1816–1866), Erik Johan Gustaf af Klint (1816–1866), Swedish naval officer and murder victim *Erich Klostermann (1870–1963), German New Testament scholar *Eric Kraft (born 1944), American author *Eric Kripke (born 1974), American writer and television producer *Erich Kulas (1979 – 2002), American professional wrestling fan involved in the Mass Transit incident (professional wrestling), Mass Transit incident *Eric Kwok, Hong Kong singer-songwriter *Erik Kynard, American high jumper *Eriq La Salle, American actor and director *Erik Lamela, Argentine footballer *Eric Laneuville (born 1952), American television director, producer and actor *Eric Lange, American actor *Eric Larson, American animator for the Walt Disney Studios starting in 1933 and one of the "Disney's Nine Old Men" *Erik Laxmann, Russian explorer of Swedish origin *Eric LeGrand (born 1990), American former football defensive tackle *Eric L. Levinson, American jurist and lawyer *Eric Liddell, Scottish athlete, rugby union international player, and missionary *Eric Lindell, American singer-songwriter *Eric Lindros, hockey player *Eric Lively (born 1981), American actor *Eric Lloyd (born 1986), American actor *Eric Lloyd (politician) (1918–2003), Australian real estate agent *Eric Lombers (1914–1978), British poster artist *Eric Longfield Lloyd (1890–1957), Australian army officer, public servant, and diplomat *Erik Lorig (born 1986), American football player *Erich Ludendorff, German general in World War I *Eric Van Lustbader (born 1946), American author of thriller and fantasy novels

M–Z

*Eric Mabius, American actor *Erich von Manstein, German field marshal *Eric Martsolf, American actor *Erik Mariñelarena, Mexican screenwriter, director and producer *Eric Maskin, American economist and Nobel prize laureate *Eric Maturin (1883–1957), British actor *Eric Mays (1958–2024), American politician *Eric McCormack (disambiguation), several people *Erik McCoy (born 1997), American football player *Erick McIntosh, American football player *Erik Messerschmidt, American cinematographer *Eric Milroy (1887–1916), Scottish rugby union player *Eric Minkin (born 1950), American-Israeli basketball player *Erik Mongrain, Canadian composer and guitarist *Eric Montross (1971–2023), American professional basketball player *Eric Moon, English Librarian *Eric Morecambe, English comedian *Eric Muenter (1871–1915), German-American political terrorist, activist, spy, professor and would-be assassin *Erich Muhsfeldt, German SS officer at Auschwitz and Majdanek concentration camps executed for war crimes *Eric Mun (born 1979), South Korean rapper, songwriter and actor *Eric Nam, a Korean American singer-songwriter, entertainer and television presenter *Eric Naposki (born 1966), American convicted murderer and former football player *Eric Nazarian, Armenian-American film director and screenwriter *Eric Nenno (1961–2008), American sex offender *Erick Neres da Cruz, Brazilian footballer *Eric Nicksick (born 1979), American mixed martial artist *Erik Nielsen (disambiguation), several people *Erik Nielson (academic), academic and expert in the use of rap music as evidence in criminal trials *Erik Nielson (footballer) (born 1996), Cape Verdean footballer *Eric Nkansah, Ghanaian sprinter *Erik Nordström (disambiguation), Erik Nordström, multiple people *Eric Nystrom (born 1983), American hockey player *Eric O'Dell (born 1990), Canadian professional ice hockey player *Eric Olson (disambiguation), multiple people *Eric Oncins, Brazilian professional pickleball player *Eric Osborn (1922–2007), Australian theologian *Eric Owens (bass-baritone), American opera singer *Erik Palladino, American actor *Eric Pardinho, Brazilian professional baseball player *Eric Parker (American football), American football player *Erik Peters, Canadian accountant *Eric Peterson, Canadian actor *Erik Peterson (theologian) (1890–1960), German theologian *Eric Pierpoint, American actor *Eric Pinkins, American football player *Eric Pohlmann (1913–1979), Austrian theatre, film and television character actor *Eric Pollard (skier), American freeskier * Eric Pollard, American musician who records as Actual Wolf *Eric Poole (disambiguation), several people *Eric Pop (born 1975), Romanian engineer and professor *Eric Prydz, Swedish disc jockey and producer *Erick Pulgar, Chilean footballer *Eric Quizon (born 1967), Filipino actor and director *Eric Radford (born 1985), Canadian pair skater *Eric Ravotti, American football player *Erich Maria Remarque (1898–1970), German writer (''All Quiet on the Western Front'') *Erik Rhodes (actor, born 1906), American film and Broadway actor *Erich Ribbeck (born 1937), German footballer and coach *Erik Rico, American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ *Éric Ripert, chef and co-owner of the New York restaurant, Le Bernardin *Eric Rivers, American football player *Eric Roberts, American actor *Eric Rosswood, American activist *Erich Roth (1910–1947), Nazi Gestapo member executed for war crimes *Eric Rubin, American microbiologist and infectious disease specialist *Erich Rudorffer (1917–2016), German Luftwaffe fighter ace *Eric Saade, Swedish singer/songwriter *Eric Saarinen (born 1942), Finnish American cinematographer and film director *Erik Salumäe (born 1970), Estonian politician *Erik Santos (born 1982), Filipino singer *Erik Satie, French composer *Eric Saubert (born 1994), American football player *Eric Sbraccia (born 1968), American retired professional wrestler *Eric Schmidt, billionaire executive chairman of Google *Erik Schmidt (painter), Estonian painter *Eric Scott (disambiguation), multiple people *Erick Sermon (born 1968), American rapper and producer *Eric Sevareid, American journalist *Eric Shinseki (born 1942), United States retired Army general *Eric Singer, American hard rock and heavy metal drummer, best known as a member of Kiss *Eric Singleton Jr., American football player *Erik Carlsson Sjöblad (1647-1725), Swedish governor, admiral, and baron *Erik Solbakken, Norwegian television presenter *Erik Sowinski (born 1989), American middle-distance runner *Erik Spoelstra (born 1970), Filipino-American professional basketball coach *Eric Staal, Canadian hockey player *Erick Stakelbeck (born 1976), American author and television host *Eric Stanley (violinist), American violinist and composer *Eric Stanton (1926–1999), American underground cartoonist and fetish art pioneer *Eric Starczala (born 1996), Canadian football player *Eric Steele (born 1954), English football player and coach *Eric Still (born 1967), American football player *Eric Stokes (disambiguation), multiple people *Eric Stoltz, American actor, director and producer *Eric Stults (born 1979), American former professional baseball pitcher *Eric Swalwell (born 1980), American lawyer and politician *Erik Swanson (born 1993), American baseball player *Eric Sykes, English radio, television and film writer, actor and director *Éric Tabarly (1931–1998), French Navy officer and yachtsman *Eric Thomas (disambiguation), multiple people *Eric Thorne (1862–1922), English singer and actor *Eric Justin Toth (born 1982), American former fugitive *Erick Thohir, Indonesian businessman and entrepreneur *Erik Tomáš (born 1975), Slovak politician *Erik Trolle, Eric Trolle (c. 1460–1530), regent of Sweden in 1512 *Eric Trolle (1863–1934), Swedish diplomat *Eric Tsang, Hong Kong film actor, producer and director *Eric Turner (disambiguation), several people *Erik Valdez, American actor *Eric Vale, voice actor and script writer *Erik Verlinde, Dutch theoretical physicist *Erik De Vlaeminck, Belgian racing cyclist *Erick Silva, Brazilian mixed martial artist *Erick Wainaina, Kenyan long-distance runner *Erich Wasicky, German SS pharmacist at Mauthausen concentration camp in charge of gassing victims and was executed *Eric Watts (born 2000), American football player *Erik Watts (born 1967), American semi-retired professional wrestler *Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz; 1874–1926), Hungarian escapologist and stuntman *Eric Welsh, intelligence officer *Eric Wennström, Swedish hurdler *Eric Whitacre, composer and conductor *Erik White, American director *Erik White (Canadian football), Canadian football player *E. B. Wikramanayake, Sri Lankan Sinhala politician and lawyer *Eric Wikramanayake, Sri Lankan Sinhala conservationist *Eric Wilkerson, American football player *Erik Adolf von Willebrand, Finnish internist (von Willebrand disease) *Eric Charles Twelves Wilson (1912–2008), English British Army officer and colonial administrator *Eric Winstanley (1944–2021), English footballer *Eric Woolfson (1945–2009), Scottish songwriter, musician and executive producer * Eric Lynn Wright, American rapper known as Eazy-E (1964–1995) *Eric Yap (born 1979), Filipino politician *Eric Young (disambiguation), multiple people *Eric Yuan (born 1969/70), American billionaire, founder and CEO of Zoom Video Communications *Erik Zabel (born 1970), German cyclist *Éric Zemmour (born 1958), French far-right politician, essayist, writer and former political journalist and pundit *Eric Zinterhofer (born 1971), American private equity financier *Erik de Zwart, Dutch radio and television maker

Fictional characters

* Eric, a character in the 1993 American romantic comedy-drama movie ''Benny & Joon#Cast, Benny & Joon'' * Eric, a character in the 2002 American coming-of-age romantic drama movie ''A Walk to Remember#Cast, A Walk to Remember'' * Eric, a character in the 2014 American comedy-drama ''The Skeleton Twins#Cast, The Skeleton Twins'' * Erik the Red, fictional Shi'ar character in the Marvel Comics comic book universe * Eric, a character from the video game ''Zero Time Dilemma'' *Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik, the titular character in Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel ''The Phantom of the Opera (novel), The Phantom of the Opera'' * Erik, a Reindeer villager from the video game series ''Animal Crossing'' *Flat Eric, low-tech, yellow puppet character from Levi's commercials for Sta-Prest One Crease Denim Clothing * Eric Birling, son of Arthur Birling in J. B. Priestley, J B Priestley's play ''An Inspector Calls'' * Eric Blonowitz, a character in the Nickelodeon sitcom ''Drake & Josh'' *Blade (character), Eric Brooks, also known as Blade in the Marvel Universe **Blade (New Line Blade franchise character), Blade (New Line ''Blade'' franchise character) **Blade (Marvel Cinematic Universe) * Eric "Rick" Carlin, a character in the American sitcom ''Living Dolls#Cast, Living Dolls'' *Eric Cartman, one of the four main characters in the TV series ''South Park'' * Eric Cruise, a character in the 1988 American science fiction movie ''Mac and Me#Cast, Mac and Me'' * Eric Duckman, titular character from the TV series ''Duckman'' *Erick Erickssong, fictional character * Erik Erikson, fictional central character of 2004 fantasy novel in the ''Avatar Chronicles'' trilogy ''Epic (Kostick novel), Epic'' by Conor Kostick *Eric Foreman, major character from the TV series ''House (TV series), House M.D.'' *Eric Forman (That '70s Show), the main character in ''That '70s Show'' * Eric Gibb, a character in the 1986 American fantasy drama film ''The Boy Who Could Fly#Cast, The Boy Who Could Fly'' *Eric Hinkle, character from the fantasy book ''The Secrets of Droon'' * Eric Kingslake, a character in the 1933 British romance movie ''Love's Old Sweet Song (1933 film)#Cast, Love's Old Sweet Song'' *General Erich Von Klinkerhoffen, the boss of Colonel Kurt Von Strohm, Captain Alberto Bertorelli, Captain Hans Geering and Lieutenant Hubert Gruber in the TV series '''Allo 'Allo!'' * Eric McGowen, a character in the 1994 American martial arts drama movie ''The Next Karate Kid#Cast, The Next Karate Kid'' * Eric Michaels, a character in the 1989 American science-fiction drama movie ''Beyond the Stars#Cast, Beyond the Stars'' *Eric Murphy (Entourage), Eric Murphy, fictional character on the comedy-drama television series Entourage (U.S. TV series), Entourage *Eric Northman, the love interest of Sookie Stackhouse in the ''Southern Vampire Mysteries'' novels and the TV series ''True Blood'' *Eric Draven, the undead avenger of his and his fiancée's murder in the movie ''The Crow'' *Erik Von Darkmoor, fictional character appearing in the novels of Raymond E. Feist *Erik Lehnsherr, also known as Magneto in the Marvel Universe *Eric Matthews (Boy Meets World), Eric Matthews, a main character from the TV series ''Boy Meets World'' and its spinoff ''Girl Meets World'' *Eric Myers, a character in ''Power Rangers Time Force'' * Erik Pinksterblom, the main character in ''Erik of het klein insectenboek'' *Eric Pollard, character on the British soap opera ''Emmerdale'' *Mr Praline, Eric Praline, a recurring character in the television show ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' ** Eric, the names of Mr Praline's pet dog, cat, halibut, and fruit bat in the sketch "Fish Licence" **Eric the Half-a-Bee, another of Mr Praline's pets * Eric Raymond, a character in the American animated musical television series ''List of Jem characters#Eric Raymond, Jem and the Holograms'' *Erik Killmonger, Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, a Marvel Comics supervillain and the main antagonist of Black Panther (film), ''Black Panther'' *Rincewind#Eric Thursley, Eric Thursley, a thirteen-year-old demonologist and the titular character of the Discworld novel ''Eric (novel), Eric'' *Eric van der Woodsen, Gossip Girl character * Erik, a thief as well as one of the main companions of the protagonist in the video game, ''Dragon Quest XI'' * Eric Yorkie, a character in novel series ''Twilight (novel series), Twilight'' *Prince Eric, the love interest of Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Princess Ariel in the Disney movie, ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid''

Surname

*Dobrica Erić (1936–2019), Serbian writer *Elspeth Eric (1907–1993), American actress *Jelena Erić (handballer) (born 1979), Serbian handball player *Micheal Eric (born 1988), Nigerian basketball player *Nenad Erić (born 1982), Serbian football goalkeeper *Slađana Erić (born 1983), Serbian volleyball player *Zoran Erić (born 1950), Serbian composer

References

{{Reflist English-language masculine given names English masculine given names Masculine given names Danish masculine given names Dutch masculine given names German masculine given names Norwegian masculine given names Scandinavian masculine given names Swedish masculine given names