Derek
Boy · DE-rek · Germanic
Derek is a boys' name of Germanic origin, meaning “ruler of the people”. In 2025 it ranked 1,771st for boys in the UK (15 babies) and 284th for boys in the US (1,191 babies).
What does Derek mean?
Germanic: Dutch and Low German form of Theodoric
“ruler of the people”
Came into English from Dutch as a form of Theodoric, the name of a famous Ostrogothic king.
- Say it
- DE-rek
More on Wiktionary.
Is Derek a girl's or a boy's name?
Derek is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 15 boys in the UK and 1,191 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Derek in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #1,771among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 15about 1 in 20,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadyup 14% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 15 boys in the UK were named Derek, making it the 1,771st most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 1,356th. Its busiest year was 1996, with 68 boys.
2025 had the fewest boys named Derek since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named Derek in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2015. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 1,703rd in England and Wales.
In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1924 (#52), 1934 (#14), 1944 (#27), 1954 (#37), 1964 (#43) and 1974 (#100).
Derek in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #1,771 |
| 2024 | 29 | #1,085 |
| 2023 | 20 | #1,399 |
| 2022 | 24 | #1,229 |
| 2021 | 22 | #1,298 |
| 2020 | 20 | #1,356 |
| 2019 | 16 | #1,608 |
| 2018 | 20 | #1,362 |
| 2017 | 27 | #1,141 |
| 2016 | 26 | #1,163 |
| 2015 | 19 | #1,416 |
| 2014 | 29 | #1,058 |
| 2013 | 22 | #1,241 |
| 2012 | 33 | #979 |
| 2011 | 35 | #906 |
| 2010 | 23 | #1,206 |
| 2009 | 30 | #972 |
| 2008 | 23 | #1,171 |
| 2007 | 33 | #880 |
| 2006 | 25 | #1,008 |
| 2005 | 27 | #917 |
| 2004 | 35 | #737 |
| 2003 | 29 | #790 |
| 2002 | 28 | #750 |
| 2001 | 31 | #656 |
| 2000 | 33 | #620 |
| 1999 | 33 | #611 |
| 1998 | 59 | #417 |
| 1997 | 52 | #444 |
| 1996 | 68 | #369 |
How popular is Derek in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #284among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 1,191about 1 in 1,400 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadyup 6% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 1,191 boys in the US were named Derek, making it the 284th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 309th. Its busiest year was 1989, with 8,365 boys. It first appears in the records in 1924.
Half of all the boys named Derek in the US since 1880 were born between 1979 and 1997, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 1,587 boys in the US were given Derek or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #246, up from #284 for this spelling alone.
- Derek 1,191
- Dereck 396
Derek in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,191 | #284 |
| 2024 | 1,357 | #258 |
| 2023 | 1,240 | #273 |
| 2022 | 1,156 | #297 |
| 2021 | 1,095 | #302 |
| 2020 | 1,063 | #309 |
| 2019 | 1,115 | #304 |
| 2018 | 1,409 | #256 |
| 2017 | 1,546 | #239 |
| 2016 | 1,716 | #226 |
| 2015 | 1,885 | #211 |
| 2014 | 1,881 | #205 |
| 2013 | 1,875 | #205 |
| 2012 | 2,116 | #182 |
| 2011 | 2,142 | #181 |
| 2010 | 2,293 | #170 |
| 2009 | 2,309 | #168 |
| 2008 | 2,488 | #159 |
| 2007 | 2,854 | #142 |
| 2006 | 2,647 | #159 |
| 2005 | 2,420 | #172 |
| 2004 | 2,545 | #157 |
| 2003 | 2,754 | #149 |
| 2002 | 2,787 | #139 |
| 2001 | 3,007 | #132 |
| 2000 | 3,214 | #121 |
| 1999 | 3,190 | #113 |
| 1998 | 3,410 | #110 |
| 1997 | 3,672 | #106 |
| 1996 | 3,920 | #101 |
| 1995 | 4,452 | #83 |
| 1994 | 5,081 | #77 |
| 1993 | 5,762 | #67 |
| 1992 | 6,293 | #62 |
| 1991 | 6,893 | #59 |
| 1990 | 8,083 | #54 |
| 1989 | 8,365 | #54 |
| 1988 | 8,073 | #53 |
| 1987 | 8,253 | #54 |
| 1986 | 6,900 | #57 |
| 1985 | 6,661 | #56 |
| 1984 | 6,972 | #52 |
| 1983 | 6,986 | #51 |
| 1982 | 6,992 | #50 |
| 1981 | 6,481 | #53 |
| 1980 | 7,240 | #50 |
| 1979 | 4,200 | #72 |
| 1978 | 3,800 | #75 |
| 1977 | 3,441 | #84 |
| 1976 | 3,168 | #84 |
| 1975 | 3,186 | #83 |
| 1974 | 3,636 | #74 |
| 1973 | 3,919 | #69 |
| 1972 | 4,146 | #67 |
| 1971 | 4,667 | #63 |
| 1970 | 4,147 | #77 |
| 1969 | 2,925 | #109 |
| 1968 | 2,460 | #122 |
| 1967 | 2,447 | #123 |
| 1966 | 2,111 | #141 |
| 1965 | 1,801 | #167 |
| 1964 | 1,589 | #172 |
| 1963 | 1,636 | #177 |
| 1962 | 1,600 | #188 |
| 1961 | 1,405 | #205 |
| 1960 | 1,047 | #247 |
| 1959 | 984 | #254 |
| 1958 | 917 | #256 |
| 1957 | 677 | #283 |
| 1956 | 614 | #299 |
| 1955 | 501 | #330 |
| 1954 | 393 | #362 |
| 1953 | 338 | #372 |
| 1952 | 341 | #363 |
| 1951 | 278 | #407 |
| 1950 | 202 | #470 |
| 1949 | 113 | #640 |
| 1948 | 63 | #861 |
| 1947 | 61 | #888 |
| 1946 | 47 | #980 |
| 1945 | 41 | #994 |
| 1944 | 46 | #949 |
| 1943 | 81 | #714 |
| 1942 | 32 | #1,228 |
| 1941 | 18 | #1,633 |
| 1940 | 31 | #1,208 |
| 1939 | 23 | #1,390 |
| 1938 | 20 | #1,521 |
| 1937 | 9 | #2,479 |
| 1936 | 30 | #1,205 |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,246 |
| 1934 | 10 | #2,393 |
| 1933 | 11 | #2,213 |
| 1932 | 12 | #2,191 |
| 1931 | 16 | #1,843 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,178 |
| 1929 | 6 | #3,557 |
| 1928 | 0 | – |
| 1927 | 0 | – |
| 1926 | 0 | – |
| 1925 | 0 | – |
| 1924 | 6 | #3,865 |
Names like Derek
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Patrick Daniel David Michael Robin Adam Matthew Jason Reggie Nathan Liam Jamie
Other spellings of Derek
Names related to Derek
More Germanic names
Amelia Henry Charlotte William Archie Charlie Emma Freddie Ella Harry Millie Albie Matilda Louie Miles Alice