Derek: Meaning, origin and popularity

Pronounced DAIR-ik · 2 syllables

Borrowed in the Middle Ages from a Middle Low German variant of Theodoric, and revived in the 19th century.

How popular is Derek?

Derek was the #284 name in the US in 2025, given to 1,191 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 46% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1980.

Babies named Derek in the US by five-year period, relative to its peak (around 1980).

Half of US adults named Derek are older than 41; most are between 22 and 63. (Estimated from US births by year and life tables.)

Names that real brothers and sisters of people named Derek have, from family records on Wikidata, most common first.

Chosen by the same families or with a similar style and era.

Derek is pronounced DAIR-ik.

Derek was the #284 name in the US in 2025, given to 1,191 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 46% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1980.

Half of US adults named Derek are older than 41. Most are between 22 and 63.