Eri
A feminine Japanese name meaning "protector" or "blessed protector".
Name Census estimates that about 841 living Americans carry the first name Eri. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 55.3% of registrations being female. The average person named Eri today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Eri births was 2024 (55 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Eri. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
841
~ 1 in 407,556 Americans
Peak year
2024
55 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,286
Tracked since 1963
Gender
Gender distribution for Eri
Eri is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 862 total registrations, 385 (44.7%) were male and 477 (55.3%) were female.
Eri as a male name
- Ranked #10,169 in 2024
- 7 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1994 (19 births)
Eri as a female name
- Ranked #3,286 in 2024
- 48 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (48 births)
Popularity
Eri: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Eri from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 221 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Eri by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Eri during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Eris live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Ohio recorded the most babies named Eri, while New York, Ohio, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Eri
The given name Eri has its origins in the Japanese language. It is a unisex name that has been in use for centuries, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 8th century CE.
The name Eri is derived from the Japanese word "eri," which means "collar" or "lapel." This etymological connection suggests that the name may have been used to describe someone who worked in the textile industry or with clothing.
In ancient Japanese literature, the name Eri appears in several historical texts and records. One notable example is the "Kojiki," a collection of myths and historical accounts from the 8th century CE, which mentions a character named Eri-hime, a princess from the Yamato period.
Throughout Japanese history, several notable individuals have borne the name Eri. These include Eri Musha (1896-1977), a renowned Japanese painter and printmaker, and Eri Yoshida (born 1991), a Japanese professional baseball player who made history as the first woman to play in a professional men's baseball league.
Another notable Eri was Eri Hotta (1941-2023), a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Japanese Ambassador to the Netherlands and as a member of the House of Representatives.
In the realm of entertainment, Eri Fukatsu (born 1985) is a Japanese actress and model, while Eri Ishida (born 1980) is a popular Japanese voice actress known for her work in anime and video games.
Eri Ninamiya (born 1992) is a Japanese swimmer who has represented her country in several international competitions, including the Olympic Games.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Eri throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence and significance in Japanese culture.
People
Eri + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Eri as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Eri: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Eri?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 841 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Eri going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 407,556 US residents.
Is Eri a common name?
We classify Eri as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 862 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Eri most popular?
The single biggest year for Eri was 2024, when 55 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Eri is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Eri a female name?
Yes, 55.3% of people registered as Eri in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.