Given name & surname
Derrick
“the ruler of the tribe”
In English use, Derrick has an alternative spelling in Derek. One English interpretation is “the ruler of the tribe.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Derrick has an alternative spelling in Derek. One English interpretation is “the ruler of the tribe.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Derrick has an alternative spelling in Derek. An origin associated with Derek is Low German.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Derrick is used as a spelling variant of Derek.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1917. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Derrick through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 146,344
- 145,347 boys · 997 girls
- Most popular year
- 1980
- 4,171 babies
- 2025
- 288
- #850 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −44%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 288 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 850 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 44.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,135 in 1980. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (28). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 110,568 as a first name in 2020; 8,633 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Derrick’s family of names
Derrick has an alternative spelling in Derek. In English usage, Derrick has a related form in Derek. In English usage, Derrick has a conventional equivalent in the Dutch form Dirk.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Derrick has relatives in 3 languages.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Derrick
- Derrick RoseAmerican basketball player (born 1988)
- Derrick WhiteAmerican basketball player (born 1994)
- Derrick LuckassenGhanaian-Dutch footballerborn 1995
- Derrick FavorsAmerican basketball player (born 1991)
- Derrick WilliamsAmerican basketball player (born 1991)
- Derrick AdkinsAmerican athletics competitor (born 1970)
- Derrick JensenAmerican ecophilosopher, radical environmentalist, and anti-civilization advocateborn 1960
- Derrick Etienne Jr.Haitian-American soccer playerborn 1996
- Derrick BrewAmerican athletics competitorborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Derrick, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Erik
“ever the ruler”
>99% boys
Derick
“the ruler of the tribe”
>99% boys
Derik
“the ruler of the tribe”
>99% boys
Cedric
Cedric has an unusually traceable literary beginning: Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe.
>99% boys
Cedrick
Cedrick is a variant of Cedric. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is kind and loved; of the spectacular bounty.”
>99% boys
Eric
“ever the ruler”
>99% boys
Dustin
“from the dusty area” · “a courageous warrior”
>99% boys
Aric
“ever the ruler”
>99% boys