Derek is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Derek means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Derek across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Derek has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Derek is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “ruler of the people”. from the name Theodoric.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 239,969 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 563 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 5,580 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 3 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 8,119 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 1,307 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Derek per year, United States (1924 to 2025). United States peaked in 1989 (8,402/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (538/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1976 (355/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (40/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (3/yr).
Derek has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1989, when it ranked #94 nationally (given to 8,615 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1980s.
Derrick · Dirk · Derick · Dereck · Derik · Tyrek · Tyreke · Deric
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