The given name Eric is derived from the Old Norse name Eiríkr (or Eríkr in Eastern Scandinavia due to monophthongization). The first element, ei- is derived either from the older Proto-Norse *aina(z) meaning "one" or "alone" or from Proto-Norse *aiwa(z) meaning "ever" or "eternal". The second element -ríkr derives either from *rík(a)z meaning "ruler" or "prince" (cf. Gothic reiks) or from an even older Proto-Germanic *ríkiaz which meant "powerful" and "rich". The name is thus usually taken to mean "one ruler" or "eternal ruler" or "ever powerful," etc.

The most common spelling in Scandinavia is Erik. In Norway, another form of the name (which has kept the Old Norse diphthong) Eirik is also commonly used. In Finland, the form Erkki is also used. The modern Icelandic version is Eiríkur, while the modern Faroese version is Eirikur. Éric is used in French, and in Germany Eric, Erik and Erich are used.

Although the name was in use in Anglo-Saxon Britain, its use was reinforced by Scandinavian settlers arriving before the Norman Invasion. It was an uncommon name in England until the Middle Ages, when it gained popularity, and finally became a common name in the 19th century. This was partly because of the publishing of the novel Eric, or, Little by Little by Frederick William Farrer in 1858.

Jay Baer (Born 1969) is coauthor of, "The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter and More Social.” (coauthored by Amber Naslund). The book discusses the impact of the social web and how businesses need to “adapt to the new era of instantaneous business.” Jay Baer is a social media strategist, author, speaker and President of Convince & Convert. Founder of five companies, he’s worked with over 700 brands (including Nike, Cold Stone Creamery, Sony, ExactTarget, and ConocoPhillips) since 1994, including 25 of the Fortune 1000. His Convince & Convert blog is ranked among the world’s top marketing resources, and was named #3 social media blog in the world by Social Media Examiner.

Baer was born in 1969 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He grew up in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He was a Phi beta kappa graduate of the University of Arizona (class of 1991) with a major in political science and a minor in communications. He attended as a Flinn Scholar, a prestigious leadership and academic scholarship given to 20 Arizona high school seniors each year.