Namewise

David vs Erik

David and Erikcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #45 and Erik #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Erik #64 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Erik #404 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #73 and Erik #408 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #104 and Erik #404 among boys in Northern Ireland.

David and Erik over time

David and Erik appear together in 3 published lists, across 148 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Erik in 1.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • Longest-running competitions

    David and Erik were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #73 and #408.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — David #1 in 1988, Erik #235 in 1988.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    David held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Erik in 81.

    Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Erik #15 in 1981.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Erik #64.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys37 shared years, 1971–2025

    David held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Erik in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1988, Erik #235 in 1988.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Erik #468.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    David held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Erik in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Erik #310 in 2021.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #73, Erik #408.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving David

Pairs where David shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Erik

Pairs where Erik shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — longest-running competitions.

All longest-running competitions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of David, Erik
FieldDavidErik
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.Traditionally interpreted as 'eternal ruler' or 'honoured ruler'; historically a name borne by kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
OriginBiblical HebrewOld Norse
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd//ˈeːrɪk/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025)Norway · Boys #64 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Erik is recorded with a Old Norse origin.
  • David and Erik both have 2 syllables.
  • David's recorded meaning differs from Erik's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

David

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2018

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #73 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Erik

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #27 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in Norway, in 1981 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #408 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys