Eri

♀ Girl

Pronounced EH-ree /ˈɛ.ri/High

Meaning: A Japanese girls' name whose meaning depends on its kanji — common writings combine e, 'blessing' or 'picture', with ri, 'jasmine' or 'reason'Medium

In 30 seconds: A compact Japanese name whose meaning is chosen, not inherited: written one way it means 'blessed jasmine', another way 'picture of reason'. Two syllables, many possibilities.

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Origin HighJapanese

MeaningA Japanese girls' name whose meaning depends on its kanji — common writings combine e, 'blessing' or 'picture', with ri, 'jasmine' or 'reason'

U.S. rank (2025)#4008 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births36 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2024

Total births (all-time)≈ 513

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Eri is a Japanese feminine name built, like most, from kanji chosen for sound and sense: the e is often the character for 'blessing' or 'picture', while ri may be written with characters for 'reason', 'village', or 'jasmine'. Each combination is a slightly different name in writing, identical in speech.

The name has been a steady, unflashy presence in Japan for decades — borne by figures from voice actresses to Olympians — and travels easily because it is short and vowel-clear. In the U.S. it is very rare, found mostly in Japanese-American families.

Did you know? Japanese parents effectively design a name's meaning by selecting its kanji — the same spoken name Eri can be written dozens of ways, each with its own sense.

Overall data confidence 85%

Behind the Name — Eri — kanji variations

Variations

ErikaErinaAiri

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Eri Fukatsu (1973-)
Japanese actress and best-actress winner at the 2010 Montreal World Film Festival
★Eri Kitamura (1987-)
Japanese voice actress and singer known for Sayaka Miki in Puella Magi Madoka Magica
★Eri Yoshida (1992-)
Japanese knuckleball pitcher, first woman drafted by a Japanese men's pro baseball team

If you like Eri…

Emi— a fellow two-syllable Japanese name beloved for its simplicity

Yuri— shares the ri element, often written with the lily

Mai— a fellow Japanese choice

Kai— echoes that soft -i sound

Koi— echoes that soft -i sound

Explore names like Eri

By themejapanese international short-and-sweet

By meaningFlower Gift / Blessing

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Eri mean?

Eri is a Japanese name whose meaning depends on its written characters — common choices give senses like 'blessing' plus 'jasmine' or 'picture' plus 'reason'.

How do you pronounce Eri?

It's said EH-ree /ˈɛ.ri/ — two syllables, stress on the first in English; Japanese gives both syllables even weight.

Is Eri a boy or girl name?

Eri is a girl's name in Japanese use.

How popular is Eri?

Eri is a very rare name in the U.S., familiar mainly in Japanese-American families.