Erikah
A feminine name of French origin meaning "forever ruler."
Name Census estimates that about 299 living Americans carry the first name Erikah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Erikah today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Erikah births was 1998 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Erikah. 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
299
~ 1 in 1,146,336 Americans
Peak year
1998
30 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2014 SSA rank
#15,170
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Erikah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Erikah from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 134 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Erikah 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 Erikah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Erikahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Erikah
The name Erikah is a feminine variation of the Germanic name Erik, which is derived from the Old Norse words "eirík" and "eirík," meaning "ever" and "ruler," respectively. This name has its roots in the medieval Viking culture of Scandinavia, particularly in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, dating back to the 8th century AD.
The earliest recorded use of the name Erikah can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was mentioned in the Icelandic Sagas, which were written accounts of the Viking exploits and adventures. These sagas often featured characters bearing the name Erik or its variations, highlighting the significance and prevalence of the name among the Norse people.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Erikah was Erikah the Red, a Norwegian explorer born around 950 AD. She is celebrated for her explorations of Greenland and is credited with establishing the first Norse settlement in North America, known as Vinland. Her adventurous spirit and bravery have made her a legendary figure in Scandinavian history.
In the realm of religion, the name Erikah has been associated with several notable figures. For instance, Erikah of Pomerania, born in 1382, was a Swedish princess who became the Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden through her marriage to Eric of Pomerania. She played a significant role in the Kalmar Union, which united the Scandinavian countries under one monarch.
Another historical figure bearing the name Erikah was Erikah Gustavsson, a Swedish noble and military leader who lived during the 16th century. She was a prominent figure in the Swedish War of Liberation against Denmark and played a crucial role in securing Sweden's independence.
Moving forward in history, Erikah Lönnrot, born in 1802, was a Finnish philologist and collector of traditional Finnish oral poetry. She is best known for compiling the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, which has had a profound impact on Finnish literature and culture.
Erikah Fleming, born in 1670, was a Swedish scientist and inventor who made significant contributions to the field of chemistry. She is credited with developing several chemical processes and is recognized as one of the pioneers of modern chemistry.
These are just a few examples of notable historical figures who carried the name Erikah. The name's rich heritage and association with influential individuals from various fields highlight its enduring appeal and significance throughout the centuries.
People
Erikah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Erikah 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
Erikah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Erikah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 299 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Erikah 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 1,146,336 US residents.
Is Erikah a common name?
We classify Erikah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 306 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Erikah most popular?
The single biggest year for Erikah was 1998, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Erikah is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Erikah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Erikah 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.