Where does the name Derrick come from?

Derrick is a boy name of Germanic origin.

Is Derrick a boy or a girl name?

Derrick is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 144,751 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Derrick in 2023?

Derrick ranks #758 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1980 with 4,135 babies.

How do you pronounce Derrick?

Derrick is pronounced DEH-rik (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Derrick?

Derrick is also written as Derek, Derrik, Dedrick.

A name from Germanic · Boy

Derrick

A spelling variant of Derek, from Old Germanic Theoderic — theod ('people') + ric ('ruler'); 'ruler of the people'. Strongly associated with 20th-century African American naming.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 106-year arc in numbers.

144,751 U.S. births recorded from 1917–2023.

Popularity · 1917–2023

344 births in 2023

1917 1970 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

DA spelling variant of Derek, from Old Germanic Theoderic — theod ('people') + ric ('ruler'); 'ruler of the people'. Strongly associated with 20th-century African American naming.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Derrick".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Derek Most common Derrik Dedrick

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Derrick.

D
Derrick Rose (NBA MVP)
D
Derrick Henry (NFL running back)

Quick answers

People often ask about Derrick.

What does the name Derrick mean?: Derrick means a spelling variant of Derek, from Old Germanic Theoderic — theod ('people') + ric ('ruler'); 'ruler of the people'. Strongly associated with 20th-century African American naming.
Where does the name Derrick come from?: Derrick is a boy name of Germanic origin.
Is Derrick a boy or a girl name?: Derrick is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 144,751 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Derrick in 2023?: Derrick ranks #758 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1980 with 4,135 babies.
How do you pronounce Derrick?: Derrick is pronounced DEH-rik (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Derrick?: Derrick is also written as Derek, Derrik, Dedrick.

Similar names

If you love Derrick, also consider…

Robert

#88

Boy ·Germanic

Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)

From Old High German Ricohard — rīc, "ruler, power," + hard, "brave, strong" — i

Ruler of the home; estate ruler

Walter

#267

Boy ·Germanic

From Old High German Walthari — wald, "rule," + hari, "army" — i

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.