UK boy's name
Arik
A Hebrew masculine name derived from the elements "ari" meaning lion and "ka" meaning like.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Arik is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arik popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3112, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 6 births.
This profile covers 28 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2012 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Arik is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 28 living people in the UK are called Arik. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Arik ranked #3112 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 6 boys were registered as Arik.
- • About 28 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arik as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3112
2023
Births in 2023
6
Latest year
Peak year
2023
6 births
Estimated living
28
2026
Meaning
What does Arik mean?
The name Arik has its origins in Hebrew and is a diminutive form of the name Ari, meaning "lion" or "courageous one." It is believed to have been derived from the biblical Hebrew name Ariel, which is mentioned in the Book of Isaiah and is thought to mean "lion of God."
The earliest recorded use of the name Arik dates back to the Middle Ages in Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East. One of the earliest known individuals with the name Arik was Arik ben Shmuel, a Jewish scholar who lived in the 12th century in Provence, France. He was known for his commentaries on the Talmud and his contributions to Jewish philosophy.
Another notable figure in history with the name Arik was Arik Anshel, a 16th-century Kabbalist and philosopher from Krakow, Poland. He was renowned for his teachings on Jewish mysticism and his work on interpreting the Zohar, a central text in the Kabbalah tradition.
In more recent times, the name Arik gained prominence with the birth of Ariel "Arik" Sharon in 1928. Sharon was an Israeli military leader and politician who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel from 2001 to 2006. He played a significant role in various military operations and was a controversial figure due to his hardline policies toward the Palestinians.
Another well-known individual with the name Arik was Arik Einstein, an Israeli singer-songwriter, and actor who was born in 1939 and passed away in 2013. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential and beloved figures in Israeli popular culture, with a career spanning over six decades.
Arik Brauer, an Austrian painter, and sculptor, born in 1929, is also a notable bearer of the name. He is considered one of the most important artists of the Austrian avant-garde movement and is known for his vibrant and expressive works that blend elements of Surrealism and Expressionism.
While the name Arik has its roots in Hebrew and Jewish culture, it has gained popularity globally, particularly in Israel and parts of Europe, where it is often used as a diminutive form of Ariel or as a standalone name. However, its exact origins and the meaning of "lion" or "courageous one" remain deeply connected to its Hebrew heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arik over time
The chart below shows babies named Arik registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2012 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Arik, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2023, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arik by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arik was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3935 | 17 | 4 |
| 2010s | #4245 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Arik
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Arik: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arik in the UK right now?
In 2023, Arik was ranked #3112 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Arik most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 6 babies registered as Arik in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arik?
A Hebrew masculine name derived from the elements "ari" meaning lion and "ka" meaning like.
How many people are called Arik in the UK?
A total of 28 babies have been registered as Arik across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.