Dirk

Dirk: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning: “ruler of the people”
Origin: Germanic
Say it: DERK · 1 syllable
Used for: Boys

A Low German and Dutch short form of Diederik, related to Theodoric. The name comes from Germanic elements meaning people and ruler.

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How popular is Dirk?

20243.6 per million US babies

Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Compare with another name

Babies named Dirk in 202412

Peak year1954

Total US babies since 188010,935

Dirk is steady now but far below its 1954 peak.

Names like Dirk

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

Williamresolute protector · Germanic
Henryhome ruler · Germanic
Charlesfree man · Germanic
Milessoldier or merciful · Germanic
Robertbright fame · Germanic
Emeryindustrious ruler · Germanic
Milogracious; dear · Germanic
Luisfamous warrior · Germanic

Dirk questions

What does the name Dirk mean?

Dirk means "ruler of the people". It comes from Germanic. A Low German and Dutch short form of Diederik, related to Theodoric. The name comes from Germanic elements meaning people and ruler.

Is Dirk a boy or girl name?

Dirk is mainly a boy's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Dirk?

12 US babies were named Dirk in 2024. Its peak year was 1954.

How do you pronounce Dirk?

Dirk is usually pronounced DERK.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.