Erika (given name) explained
The given name Erika is a female name with multiple meanings of Old Norse and Japanese origin.
Erika and the variants Erica, Ericka, or Ereka are feminine forms of Eric, derived from the Old Norse name Eiríkr (or Eríkr in Eastern Scandinavia due to monophthongization). The first element, ei- is derived either from the older Proto-Norse *aina(z), meaning "one, alone, unique",[1] as in the form Æinrikr explicitly, or from *aiwa(z) "long time, eternity".[2] The second element -ríkr stems either from *ríks "king, ruler" (cf. Gothic reiks) or from the therefrom derived *ríkijaz "kingly, powerful, rich".[3] The name is thus usually taken to mean "sole ruler, monarch" or "eternal ruler, ever powerful".[4] It is a common name in many Western societies.
Erika (えりか, エリカ) is a common female Japanese given name in Japan. It has multiple meanings depending on the kanji. The Japanese origin of the given name has nothing in common with the Nordic roots of the Western version. Erica is also the name of a genus of approximately 860 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, commonly known as "heaths" or "heathers" in English, and is the Latin word for "heather".[5]
Authors and poets
- Erica Jong (born 1942), American author
- Erica Sakurazawa (born 1963), Japanese manga author
- Erika Liebman (1738–1803), Swedish poet
- Erika Mann (1905–1969), German writer, the daughter of Thomas Mann
- Erika Mitchell, the real name of author E. L. James (born 1963)
Fictional characters
- Erika, the eponymous character of the German marching song "Erika"
- Erika (Pokémon), a character in the video game series Pokémon
- Erika (Underworld), a character in the film Underworld
- Erika, a character in the anime series Tōshō Daimos
- Erika, the titular pauper of Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper
- Erica Ainsworth, a character in the manga series Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya
- Erika Amano, a character in the manga series A Couple of Cuckoos
- , a character in the anime series Anime-Gataris
- Erika Berger, a character in the novel series Millennium
- , a character in the light novel series The Irregular at Magic High School
- Erica Davidson, a character in the television series Prisoner
- Erica Farrell, a character in the media franchise Degrassi
- Erica Fontaine, a character in the media franchise Sakura Taisen
- Erika Ford, a character in the television series Friends
- , a character in the visual novel series Umineko When They Cry
- Erica Goldberg, a character in the television series The Goldbergs
- Erica Hahn, a character in the television series Grey's Anatomy
- Erica Hartmann, a character in the media franchise Strike Witches
- , a character in the anime series Girls und Panzer
- (a.k.a Cure Marine), a major character in the anime series HeartCatch PreCure!
- , a character in the webcomic Megatokyo
- Erica Kane, a character in the soap opera All My Children
- Erika Kohut, protagonist of the novel The Piano Teacher
- Erika Mishima, a character in the video game series
- , a character in the visual novel Fortune Arterial
- Erica Reyes, a character in the television series Teen Wolf
- Erica Strange, a character in the television series Being Erica
- Erica Sinclair, a character in the Netflix Series Stranger Things
- , a character in the manga series Wolf Girl and Black Prince
- , a character in the anime series Ginga e Kickoff!!
- , a character in the anime series Tsuritama
- Erica Yurken, protagonist of the novel Hating Alison Ashley
Politics
Science and education
Sports
Basketball
Football
Golf
Gymnastics
- Erica Sanz Ginés (born 2003), Spanish gymnast
- Erika Akiyama (born 1964), Japanese rhythmic gymnast
Swimming
Track and field
Volleyball
- Erika Araki (born 1984), Japanese national volleyball team captain
- Érika Coimbra (born 1980), Brazilian volleyball player
Other sports
- Erika Akaya (born 1990), Japanese field hockey player for the Japanese national team
- Erika Alarcón, Paraguayan roller skater
- Erika deLone, (born 1972), retired American professional tennis player
- Erika Kirpu (born 1992), Estonian épée fencer
- Erika Schmutz (born 1973), Canadian former Wheelchair rugby player and power engineer
Entertainment
Actresses
- Erica Durance (born 1978), Canadian actress
- Erika Alexander (born 1969), American actress
- Erika Anderson, American actress
- Erika Buenfil (born 1963), Mexican actress
- Erika Christensen (born 1982), American actress
- Erika Eleniak (born 1969), American actress and Playboy Playmate
- Erika Henningsen (born 1992), American actress
- Erika Kaljusaar (born 1956), Estonian actress
- Erika Pluhar (born 1939), Austrian actress, singer and author
- Erika Slezak (born 1946), American actress best known for her long-running role as Viki Davidson on One Life to Live
- Erika Toda (戸田 恵梨香, born 1988), Japanese actress
Models
- Erica Nego, beauty queen, model, and businesswoman
- Erika Heynatz (born 1975), Australian model, actress, singer and television personality
- Erika Sawajiri (沢尻 エリカ, born 1986), Japanese gravure model, singer and actress
- Erika Yazawa (born 1990), Japanese gravure model, actress and member of Idoling!!!
Singers and musicians
- Erica Banks, American rapper
- Erica Campbell, (born 1972), American singer most famous from Mary Mary
- Erica Packer (born 1975), Australian singer and model
- Erika Amato (born 1969), American singer and actress
- Erika de Casier (born 1989 or 1990), Danish singer, songwriter, and record producer
- Erika Ender (born 1974), Panamanian singer, songwriter and actress
- Erika Jayne, dance and electronica artist, actress and television personality
- Erika Raum (born 1972), Canadian violinist
- Erika Umeda (born 1991), Japanese singer and model, former member of Cute
- Erykah Badu (born 1971), American singer-songwriter, record producer, activist, and actress
- Érika Alcocer Luna (born 1974), Mexican singer, winner of the second generation of La Academia
Theatre
Voice actresses
Other
- Erica Cornejo, Argentine ballet dancer
- Erica Garner (1990–2017), American activist
- Erica Hill (born 1976), American journalist
- Erica Parsons (1998–2011), American child abuse and murder victim
- Erika Aittamaa (1866–1952), Swedish artisan of Tornedalian descent
- Erika Allen, co-founder and CEO of Urban Growers Collective
- Erika Anderson (engineer) (1989–2023), American mechanical engineer
- Erika Billeter (1927–2011), German-born Swiss curator, art historian, writer, and museum director
- Erika Cosby, American painter and daughter of Bill Cosby
- Erika Costell (born 1993), American YouTuber, model, and singer
- Erika Fuchs (1906–2005), German translator
- Erika von Brockdorff (1911–1943), German resistance fighter during the Second World War
- Erika Wendt (1917–2003), German WWII spy
See also
Notes and References
- Entries "Æiríkʀ", "Æi-", in: Nordiskt runnamnslexikon (2002) by Lena Peterson at the Swedish Institute for Linguistics and Heritage (Institutet för språk och folkminnen). Entry "EIN" at Nordic Names. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- http://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/Erik Entry "Erik"
- Entries "Æiríkʀ", "Ríkʀ" and "-ríkʀ" in Nordiskt runnamnslexikon (2002) by Lena Peterson at the Swedish Institute for Linguistics and Heritage (Institutet för språk och folkminnen).
- Book: The Study of Names: A Guide to the Principles and Topics. 1992. Greenwood Press. Westport, CT. 11.
- Book: Manning, John . Paterson-Jones, Colin . Field Guide to Fynbos . 2007 . 224 . Struik Publishers, Cape Town . 978-1-77007-265-7.
