Declining since 1986.
Popularity of Arica since 1965
Babies named Arica per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 28 |
| 1970s | 513 |
| 1980s | 799 |
| 1990s | 632 |
| 2000s | 294 |
| 2010s | 78 |
| 2020s | 32 |
Meaning & origin
Arica entered U.S. naming records in 1965, a time when many parents were experimenting with novel spellings of established names. The name's trajectory shows a clear peak in 1978, after which it began a steady decline that continues through the latest data from 2025. Despite never breaking into the top 1000, Arica has maintained a consistent if small presence for decades, with its most active period in the 1970s. Its similarity to the more common Erica, combined with the fashionable -a ending, likely contributed to its appeal. The name's meaning remains open to interpretation, as it could be a creative spelling of Erica or an adoption of the Chilean place name Arica. This ambiguity does not diminish its charm for those seeking a distinctive yet familiar-sounding name.
Arica first appeared in U.S. records in 1965. It may be a respelling of Erica, or derived from the city of Arica in Chile. The name saw modest use in the 1970s, peaking in 1978, before declining steadily.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ari, Rica
Sibling names for Arica
Names that share Arica's style, for a brother or sister.
