Derek
Borrowed in the Middle Ages from a Middle Low German variant of Theodoric, and revived in the 19th century.
Every Derek since 1924 — 239,969 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Derek
Derek is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #284 in 2025 with 1,191 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1924, 239,969 American babies have been named Derek. Its peak came in 1989, when 8,402 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Derek stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Derek year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | 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 | #305 |
| 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 | 5 | #17,483 | 2,142 | #181 |
| 2010 | 6 | #15,476 | 2,293 | #171 |
| 2009 | — | — | 2,309 | #168 |
| 2008 | — | — | 2,488 | #159 |
| 2007 | — | — | 2,854 | #142 |
| 2006 | — | — | 2,647 | #159 |
| 2005 | 10 | #10,333 | 2,420 | #172 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16,812 | 2,545 | #157 |
| 2003 | 7 | #12,759 | 2,754 | #149 |
| 2002 | — | — | 2,787 | #139 |
| 2001 | 6 | #13,997 | 3,007 | #132 |
| 2000 | 8 | #11,005 | 3,214 | #121 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6,746 | 4,452 | #83 |
| 1990 | 18 | #5,111 | 8,083 | #54 |
| 1985 | 41 | #2,411 | 6,661 | #56 |
| 1980 | 55 | #1,944 | 7,240 | #50 |
| 1975 | 15 | #4,201 | 3,186 | #83 |
| 1970 | 15 | #3,911 | 4,147 | #77 |
| 1965 | 8 | #4,941 | 1,801 | #167 |
| 1960 | — | — | 1,047 | #247 |
| 1955 | — | — | 501 | #330 |
| 1950 | — | — | 202 | #471 |
| 1945 | — | — | 41 | #1,000 |
| 1940 | — | — | 31 | #1,213 |
| 1935 | — | — | 11 | #2,285 |
| 1930 | — | — | 13 | #2,208 |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Derek
- Derek Walcott Writer · 1930–2017
- Derek Jacobi Actor · b. 1938
- Derek Barton Chemist · 1918–1998
- Derek Jarman Film director · 1942–1994
- Derek Bell Racing driver · b. 1941
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Derek mean?
Borrowed in the Middle Ages from a Middle Low German variant of Theodoric, and revived in the 19th century.
How popular is the name Derek in 2025?
Derek ranked #284 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,191 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Derek?
239,969 babies have been named Derek in the United States since 1924, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Derek most popular?
Derek peaked in 1989, when 8,402 newborns received the name.
Is Derek a boy or girl name?
Derek is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Derek rising or falling?
Derek is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Derek?
Well-known people named Derek include Derek Walcott (writer), Derek Jacobi (actor), Derek Barton (chemist).