Erika is the German and Scandinavian spelling of Erica, the feminine form of Eric, from Old Norse Eirikr, "eternal ruler" or "sole ruler"; it is also the Latin name of the heather plant. In the United States the k-spelling is favored in German, Scandinavian and Hispanic families. Erika ranked number 123 in 2000, its best year in this century, and has declined steadily to number 1109 in 2025.