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Derrick as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Derrick

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The baby name Derrick is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdɛrɪk/ (DER-ik).

Derrick is English, Germanic in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English, Germanic
Pronunciation: /ˈdɛrɪk/ (DER-ik)

What is the meaning of the name Derrick ?

The baby name Derrick is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈdɛrɪk/ (DER-ik).

Derrick is English, Germanic in Origin.

Rooted in the Germanic Theodoric (Theoderic), Derrick ultimately means “ruler of the people,” from theud “people” and ric “ruler, power.” Through Dutch and Low German forms such as Diederik and Derek/Dirk, the name entered English, where Derrick appears in records from the 16th century. The English noun “derrick” for a gallows or crane derives from the Elizabethan executioner Thomas Derrick and later from hoisting rigs, but this development does not affect the personal name’s meaning.

Common variants include Derek, Derick, Dereck, Derik, and Deryck; cognates and related forms are Dietrich (German), Diederik and Dirk (Dutch), and Thierry (French). Occasional nicknames are Derry or Rick. Derrick enjoyed steady use in the Anglophone world, with marked popularity in the United States during the 1970s–1980s, while Derek was more prevalent in Britain earlier in the 20th century. Pronounced DER-ik, the name carries a classic, pan-European heritage.

Derrick has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Derrick

Derrick Green Musician · Born 1971 · United States Derrick Green is best known as the lead vocalist of the American heavy metal band Sepultura. He joined the band in 1997 and contributed to albums like 'Against' and 'Nation'. His powerful voice and dynamic stage presence have been central to the band's continued success.

Derrick – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 836
BW 0 #19 1 960
KR Boys 0 #27 1 897
BI Boys 0 #39 6 917
CM 0 #50 7 2,592
JM 0 #59 29 3,714
JM Boys 0 #67 367 6,876
JP 0 #74 4 4,057
CN 0 #85 2 3,857
TW 0 #99 5 4,523
PH 0 #103 8 5,607
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
GH Boys 0 #109 542 8,138
KW 0 #116 6 5,216
OM 0 #117 5 6,215
BW Boys 0 #123 27 4,685
CY Boys 0 #130 2 3,473
AZ Boys 0 #131 1 1,400
BN Boys 0 #135 5 6,332
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
SG Boys 0 #144 1,113 17,960
SG 0 #146 130 11,010
GH 0 #147 107 5,396
CR 0 #159 7 5,526
PR Boys 0 #172 7 2,508
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
Sweden Boys 2020 #176 2 1,548
MT Boys 0 #177 3 4,064
AE 0 #181 7 10,220
CZ 0 #185 2 3,154
RU 0 #192 3 3,641
TW Boys 0 #208 34 7,111
MO Boys 0 #210 14 5,842
NA Boys 0 #223 13 6,830
IR 0 #230 2 4,221
EC Boys 0 #244 3 3,322
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
PT 0 #250 1 4,161
MY 0 #261 70 12,352
CN Boys 0 #263 58 9,639
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
ZA Boys 0 #263 2,275 25,619
NG 0 #265 8 5,926
GR Boys 0 #272 2 6,912
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
JM Girls 0 #276 3 7,507
CM Boys 0 #278 361 12,054
JP Boys 0 #286 12 7,909
Canada Boys 2024 #297 10 2,588
CZ Boys 0 #304 2 6,530
GH Girls 0 #315 10 6,973
HK 0 #323 26 8,483
PH Boys 0 #328 56 11,440
DK Boys 0 #329 4 7,401
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
ZA 0 #351 97 14,421
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
NL 0 #381 11 2,481
PT Boys 0 #381 1 7,951
France Boys 2021 #382 6 2,865
HK Boys 0 #385 147 12,905
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
CR Boys 0 #394 94 10,188
YE 0 #396 3 8,639
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
Finland Boys 0 #418 10 2,041
MX 0 #445 1 8,339
SD Boys 0 #465 2 10,523
PA Boys 0 #467 15 9,305
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
GT Boys 0 #497 3 7,625
MY Boys 0 #517 735 25,439
RU Boys 0 #519 8 12,621
PS Boys 0 #530 19 10,655
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
LY 0 #553 7 12,703
CM Girls 0 #555 6 11,671
KW Girls 0 #561 1 19,177
IR Boys 0 #564 2 10,162
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
BH 0 #581 7 17,937
United States Boys 2024 #602 305 7,044
BO Boys 0 #617 6 9,244
IL Boys 0 #621 5 10,983
SG Girls 0 #626 7 18,916
Finland Boys 2026 #667 16 3,552
QA Boys 0 #676 32 18,093
CL Boys 0 #696 5 13,390
NG Boys 0 #703 260 16,906
KW Boys 0 #726 44 18,755
SY 0 #766 2 11,684
NG Girls 0 #776 11 15,093
BR Boys 0 #781 5 12,213
NL Boys 0 #833 119 5,873
OM Boys 0 #857 25 17,948
TN 0 #862 4 13,765
PE Boys 0 #868 11 14,506
CO Boys 0 #909 12 15,656
Germany Boys 0 #911 42 5,697
Spain Boys 0 #916 15 5,610
United States Girls 2005 #918 7 9,844
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
MX Boys 0 #970 13 16,355
IN Boys 0 #992 10 16,750
SA Girls 0 #1,011 4 25,931
AE Boys 0 #1,017 76 22,615
MY Girls 0 #1,070 3 24,821
ZA Girls 0 #1,117 25 25,928
DZ 0 #1,165 12 20,130
MA 0 #1,197 3 20,986
TR 0 #1,201 11 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,348 124 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,540 75 28,008

Derrick is popular in 74 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
France
Ireland
United States
Scotland, United Kingdom

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People also ask about Derrick

Derrick is predominantly a boy's name.
Derrick is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈdɛrɪk/ (DER-ik).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Derek, Derick, Derrek, Derric, Darrick and Dereck.
Yes, very popular — Derrick ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Derrick ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Derrick's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2017 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 1 notable people named Derrick are in our database, including Derrick Green (Musician).