Declining since 2018, #4,249 for boys today.
Popularity of Elric since 1918
Babies named Elric per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 |
| 1920s | 0 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 21 |
| 1980s | 59 |
| 1990s | 91 |
| 2000s | 69 |
| 2010s | 198 |
| 2020s | 138 |
Meaning & origin
Elric is an Old English name meaning "elf ruler," derived from the elements "ælf" (elf) and "rīc" (ruler). It has a long but sparse history, first recorded in the U.S. in 1918. The name saw its peak popularity in 2019, though it remains uncommon. In 2025, it was given to roughly 1 in 71,170 boys, placing it at rank 4249. Its trajectory has been falling since 2018, reflecting a decline in use. Despite its rarity, Elric offers a distinctive, mythic-sounding choice for parents interested in names with Anglo-Saxon roots.
Elric is derived from the Old English elements "ælf" (elf) and "rīc" (ruler, power), meaning "elf ruler." It is also related to the Old High German name Alberich, which appears in Germanic mythology. The name was rarely used historically but gained some popularity in the 20th century, notably through Michael Moorcock's fantasy character Elric of Melniboné, though this connection is not the focus here.
“Elric” around the world
Where Elric lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: El
Sibling names for Elric
Names that share Elric's style, for a brother or sister.
