Derek is a boy's name of English origin. Its meaning is not recorded in the standard references we check — we would rather tell you that plainly than guess. In 2024 it was given to 1,355 boys in the United States.
Derek at a glance
Gender
Boy name
Origin
English & American
Meaning
Not recorded in standard references
Pronunciation
/ˈdɛɹɪk/
Also spelled
Diederik
About the name Derek
Derek belongs to the English & American tradition. Its roots are documented, even though its precise meaning is not recorded in the standard references — an honest gap we prefer to a confident guess. It travels in a few spellings: Diederik.
In the United States, Derek first appears in Social Security records in 1924. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #50 in 1980, and in 2024 1,355 babies received the name — 237,860 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.
The meaning of Derek is not recorded in the standard references we check. Rather than repeat an unsourced claim, we leave it open — its English origin is documented, but its exact meaning is not.
Is Derek a boy or girl name?
Derek is a boy name. In 2024, 1,355 babies received the name in the US.
What origin is the name Derek?
Derek comes from the English & American tradition. It is also spelled Diederik.
How popular is the name Derek?
Derek first appears in US records in 1924. Its best-ever ranking was #50 in 1980, and 1,355 babies were given the name in 2024.
How do you pronounce Derek?
Derek is pronounced /ˈdɛɹɪk/ (IPA).
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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. England & Wales figures are from the Office for National Statistics. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.
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