"Steric" and "stearic" are synonyms, just as several other names used for straight counting of C-atoms in organic molecules:
if the molecule of an acid contains 18 carbon atoms, it may be called as follows:
octadecanoic = octadecoic = octadecylic =cetylacetic = steric = stearic acid

"STEARIC ACID" should be used as a standard name, while all other names are
synonyms (formal, practical, common etc)

You can find this useful information here:
http://home.att.net/~numericana/answer/culture.htm

The same information can be found in Merck Index 12th edition, 1996