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The short answer
Derek is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the older English name Dederick, which was in origin a Low German form of Theodoric. It was imported to England from the Low Countries in the 15th century." It ranked #284 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the older English name Dederick, which was in origin a Low German form of Theodoric. It was imported to England from the Low Countries in the 15th century. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Derek ranked #284 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #284 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Derek in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Derek mean?
Behind the Name does not give Derek a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from the older English name Dederick, which was in origin a Low German form of Theodoric.
Is Derek a popular name?
Derek ranked #284 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Derek a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Derek appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Derek — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
