Erika (given name)

Erika, Erica
Pronunciation	/ˈɛrɪkə/; Italian: [ˈɛːrika]; German: [ˈeːʁika]; Japanese: [ˈɛːrika]
Gender	Female
Origin
Word/name	Old Norse, Japanese
Meaning	"eternal ruler",; "ever powerful" (Germanic)
Region of origin	Germania, Japan
Other names
Related names	Eric, Erik, Frederica, Frederick

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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
Erika Aoyama (青山絵里香), a character in the anime series Anime-Gataris
Erika Berger, a character in the novel series Millennium
Erika Chiba (千葉エリカ), 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
Erika Furudo (古戸ヱリカ), 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
Erika Itsumi (逸見エリカ), a character in the anime series Girls und Panzer
Erika Kurumi (来海えりか) (a.k.a Cure Marine), a major character in the anime series HeartCatch PreCure!
Hayasaka Erika (早坂えりか), 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 Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker's Memory
Erika Sendo (千堂瑛里華), 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
Erika Shinohara (篠原エリカ), a character in the manga series Wolf Girl and Black Prince
Erika Shiragami (白神英理加) a character from the movie Godzilla vs Biollante
Erika Suzuki (鈴木エリカ), a character in the anime series Sakura Quest
Erika Takatou (高遠エリカ), a character in the anime series Ginga e Kickoff!!
Erika Usami (宇佐美えり香), a character in the anime series Tsuritama
Erica Yurken, protagonist of the novel Hating Alison Ashley

Politics

Erica Yuen (born 1980), Hong Kong politician, actress, and presenter
Erika Harold (born 1980), American attorney, politician, and 2003 Miss America
Erika Mann (politician) (born 1950), German politician
Erika Steinbach (born 1943), German politician

Science and education

Erica Hinckson, New Zealand professor of sport and exercise science
Erika Cremer (1900–1996), German physicist
Erika Cuellar (born 1978), Bolivian biologist
Erika Doss (fl. 1980s–2020s), professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame
Erika Hamden, American astrophysicist and Assistant Professor
Erika Marín-Spiotta, Spanish-born biogeochemist and ecosystem ecologist
Erika Zavaleta, American ecologist and evolutionary biologist

Sports

Basketball

Erica Gavel (born 1991), Canadian wheelchair basketball player
Érika de Souza (born 1982), Brazilian basketball player

Football

Erika Vázquez (born 1983), Spanish footballer
Érika Cristiano dos Santos (born 1988), Brazilian footballer

Golf

Erica Blasberg (1984–2010), American professional golfer
Erika Hara (born 1999), Japanese professional golfer

Gymnastics

Erica Sanz Ginés (born 2003), Spanish gymnast
Erika Akiyama (born 1964), Japanese rhythmic gymnast

Swimming

Erica Morningstar (born 1989), Canadian swimmer
Erica Rose (born 1982), American long-distance swimmer
Erica Sullivan (swimmer) (born 2000), American swimmer
Erika González (born 1972), Mexican freestyle swimmer
Erika Hansen (born 1970), American swimmer
Erika Nara, Japanese Paralympic swimmer

Track and field

Erica Alfridi (born 1968), Italian race walker
Erica Bartolina (born 1980), American pole vaulter
Erica Bougard (born 1993), American heptathlete
Erica Jarder (born 1986), Swedish long jumper
Erica Johansson (born 1974), Swedish long jumper
Erika Fisch (1934–2021), German long jumper
Erika Kinsey (born 1988), Swedish high jumper
Erika Rudolf (1954–2009), Hungarian high jumper
Érika Olivera (born 1976), Chilean marathon runner

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

Erika Andia, Bolivian theatre actress, director and journalist
Erika Dickerson-Despenza, American playwright

Voice actresses

Erica Lindbeck, American voice actress
Erica Luttrell (born 1982), Canadian voice actress
Erika Harlacher (born 1990), American voice actress

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

References

^ Entries "Æiríkʀ", "Æi-", in: Nordiskt runnamnslexikon Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (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.
^ Entry "Erik" at Nordic Names Wiki. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
^ Entries "Æiríkʀ", "Ríkʀ" and "-ríkʀ" in Nordiskt runnamnslexikon Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (2002) by Lena Peterson at the Swedish Institute for Linguistics and Heritage (Institutet för språk och folkminnen).
^ The Study of Names: A Guide to the Principles and Topics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. 1992. p. 11.^{[ISBN missing]}
^ Manning, John; Paterson-Jones, Colin (2007). Field Guide to Fynbos. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-77007-265-7.

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[1] Entries "Æiríkʀ", "Æi-", in: Nordiskt runnamnslexikon Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (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.

[2] Entry "Erik" at Nordic Names Wiki. Retrieved 1 February 2013.

[3] Entries "Æiríkʀ", "Ríkʀ" and "-ríkʀ" in Nordiskt runnamnslexikon Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine (2002) by Lena Peterson at the Swedish Institute for Linguistics and Heritage (Institutet för språk och folkminnen).

[4] The Study of Names: A Guide to the Principles and Topics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. 1992. p. 11.^{[ISBN missing]}

[5] Manning, John; Paterson-Jones, Colin (2007). Field Guide to Fynbos. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. p. 224. ISBN 978-1-77007-265-7.

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