Boy nameCurrently #258 in the USFalling
Derek
DAIR-ik//ˈdɛrɪk//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19895 lettersStarts with D
Meaning & origin
Ruler of the people
Derek comes from the Germanic Theodoric, combining elements meaning 'people' and 'ruler'. A well-used mid-to-late-20th-century name, it retains a solid, straightforward sound.
Derek's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Derek |
|---|---|
| 1924 | 6 |
| 1929 | 6 |
| 1930 | 13 |
| 1931 | 16 |
| 1932 | 12 |
| 1933 | 11 |
| 1934 | 10 |
| 1935 | 11 |
| 1936 | 30 |
| 1937 | 9 |
| 1938 | 20 |
| 1939 | 23 |
| 1940 | 31 |
| 1941 | 18 |
| 1942 | 32 |
| 1943 | 81 |
| 1944 | 46 |
| 1945 | 40 |
| 1946 | 48 |
| 1947 | 61 |
| 1948 | 63 |
| 1949 | 113 |
| 1950 | 202 |
| 1951 | 278 |
| 1952 | 342 |
| 1953 | 338 |
| 1954 | 393 |
| 1955 | 501 |
| 1956 | 619 |
| 1957 | 677 |
| 1958 | 917 |
| 1959 | 991 |
| 1960 | 1,047 |
| 1961 | 1,405 |
| 1962 | 1,607 |
| 1963 | 1,644 |
| 1964 | 1,594 |
| 1965 | 1,809 |
| 1966 | 2,117 |
| 1967 | 2,456 |
| 1968 | 2,472 |
| 1969 | 2,937 |
| 1970 | 4,162 |
| 1971 | 4,693 |
| 1972 | 4,163 |
| 1973 | 3,940 |
| 1974 | 3,657 |
| 1975 | 3,201 |
| 1976 | 3,187 |
| 1977 | 3,464 |
| 1978 | 3,822 |
| 1979 | 4,227 |
| 1980 | 7,296 |
| 1981 | 6,523 |
| 1982 | 7,035 |
| 1983 | 7,039 |
| 1984 | 7,013 |
| 1985 | 6,702 |
| 1986 | 6,936 |
| 1987 | 8,310 |
| 1988 | 8,129 |
| 1989 | 8,402 |
| 1990 | 8,101 |
| 1991 | 6,911 |
| 1992 | 6,310 |
| 1993 | 5,772 |
| 1994 | 5,096 |
| 1995 | 4,465 |
| 1996 | 3,931 |
| 1997 | 3,680 |
| 1998 | 3,419 |
| 1999 | 3,190 |
| 2000 | 3,222 |
| 2001 | 3,013 |
| 2002 | 2,787 |
| 2003 | 2,761 |
| 2004 | 2,549 |
| 2005 | 2,430 |
| 2006 | 2,647 |
| 2007 | 2,854 |
| 2008 | 2,488 |
| 2009 | 2,306 |
| 2010 | 2,299 |
| 2011 | 2,146 |
| 2012 | 2,116 |
| 2013 | 1,874 |
| 2014 | 1,881 |
| 2015 | 1,883 |
| 2016 | 1,715 |
| 2017 | 1,546 |
| 2018 | 1,408 |
| 2019 | 1,115 |
| 2020 | 1,063 |
| 2021 | 1,094 |
| 2022 | 1,155 |
| 2023 | 1,240 |
| 2024 | 1,355 |
Derek through the decades
- Derek peaked in 1989, when 8,402 babies were named Derek in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Derek has fallen 41% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Derek currently ranks #258 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Derek
Variants & spellings
DerrickDirk
Famous people named Derek
- Derek Jeter — baseball player