Derek

Did you know?

A few things about Derek you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Derek

Derek Walcott

Saint Lucian–Trinidadian poet and playwright (1930–2017)

Choose Derek and your child shares a first name with Derek Walcott, a Saint Lucian–Trinidadian poet and playwright. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Derek, like who?” Derek Walcott's Wikipedia article is available in 96 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Derek Walcott on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Bert Nienhuis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 1,434 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Derek, 1,191 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Derek would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryDerek first shows up in US birth records in 1924, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 101 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1982, when it ranked #50. Today it's #284, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📉Then vs nowDerek was 2.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 611 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 1,434.
• 🚀TrendDerek has climbed 25 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #284. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedDerek is most popular in Rhode Island, where it ranks #177, followed by New York (#181) and New Jersey (#199). It's in the top 1,000 in 37 states.
• 💬MeaningDerek is an English form of Theodoric, which means “ruler of the people”.

About the name Derek

Derek is a boy name meaning “ruler of the people”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with D and ending in “-rek”. US birth records list Derek for boys from 1924 to 2025, in 98 of those 102 years. Its best year was 1982, when it ranked #50 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #284, with 1,191 babies.