Erika, of German origin, signifies 'honor' and 'peace'. It is a unisex name, although more commonly used for females. The name's popularity peaked in the United States during the 1970s but has since declined. Erika is also prominent in Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Norway. Notable individuals with this name include German-born Swiss novelist, Erika Burckhardt, and American actress, Erika Christensen. The name's variants include Ericka and Erike, while its diminutives are Erie and Ricki. In some languages, such as Hungarian, Erika is translated to Éva.
The name Erika seems to have had significant popularity from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, with a peak of 30 births in 1984 and 42 births in 1989. However, its prevalence declined notably after that period, with fewer than 20 births per year from 1990 onwards, reaching as low as 7 births in 1997. Despite the fluctuations, Erika has remained a recognizable name with a total of 548 recorded births over this span.