Derek
Entered English from Dutch and Low German forms such as Dirk, short for Diederik. That name comes from Germanic elements meaning people and ruler.
Derek in 2025
Derek was given to 1,191 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 552nd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 2,784 babies born.
The history of Derek
Derek reached its highest point in 1989, when 8,402 babies were given the name, ranking 94th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 90th, in 1980.
Across the 102 years of records since 1924, 239,969 babies have been named Derek. Half of them were born before 1987, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Derek by decade
| Decade | Babies named Derek | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 12 | 7,000 |
| 1930s | 155 | 2,399 |
| 1940s | 533 | 1,419 |
| 1950s | 5,257 | 535 |
| 1960s | 19,089 | 231 |
| 1970s | 38,512 | 141 |
| 1980s | 73,381 | 90 |
| 1990s | 50,878 | 98 |
| 2000s | 27,061 | 231 |
| 2010s | 17,989 | 306 |
| 2020s | 7,102 | 495 |
Where Derek is heading
Derek has fallen 37% over the past decade, from 1,885 babies in 2015 to 1,191 in 2025.
Names like Derek
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Derek.