Derrick

Derrick - A very unique male name

Derrick appeared on the charts for the first time in 1943 on position #1547. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Derrick and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Derrick? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Derrick. The baby boy name Derrick was given to 247 baby boys in 2025, ranking #834 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 5,936 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Derrick peaked in popularity 46 years ago in 1980 on position 74.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Derrick, 1-5?

Derrick is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Derrick is currently topping the baby name charts in Louisiana at position #405 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,046.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Derrick is where you live.

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Derrick origin and meaning

Germanic (respelling of Derek)

A respelling of Derek, the English form of the Dutch short form of Diederik, from Germanic Theodoric, 'ruler of the people'

Derrick doubles the r of Derek, the spelling that rose with America's mid-century Theodoric names and peaked for this spelling in 1980. The identical English word derrick, a crane, comes from a hangman's surname and is a coincidence, not the name's source. Derrick has been falling since its peak, carried now by athletes of the 2010s.

Attested etymology

Derrick is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Derrick, pop culture references for the name Derrick and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Derrick

We've found the following names that sound similar to Derrick, sorted by popularity.

Derek / Darius / Drake / Derick / Dirk / Darrius / Darrick / Dereck / Dedrick / Derik /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Derrick

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Derrick a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Derrick?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DAIR-ik · /ˈdɛrɪk/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Derek — The standard form, a separate established name
• Dereck — A rarer spelling variant

Famous bearers

• Derrick Rose — American basketball player, the youngest MVP in NBA history (b. 1988) Contemporary
• Derrick Henry — American NFL running back known for the Tennessee Titans (b. 1994) Contemporary

Style

Classic

Why parents choose it

Parents who choose Derrick now get a strong, athletic classic of their own generation — formal enough for a signature, plain enough for a playground.

Worth knowing

• Derek is the more common spelling and the default most people will write