Derek
Last seen for girls in 2011 at #16,764 · #284 for boys in 2025, 1,191 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1980 · 7,240 births
- Debut · boys
- 6 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 26 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 239,060since 1924
Derek over time
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #284 | 1,191 | |
| 2024 | — | #258 | 1,357 | |
| 2023 | — | #273 | 1,240 | |
| 2022 | — | #297 | 1,156 | |
| 2021 | — | #302 | 1,095 | |
| 2020 | — | #309 | 1,063 | |
| 2019 | — | #304 | 1,115 | |
| 2018 | — | #256 | 1,409 | |
| 2017 | — | #239 | 1,546 | |
| 2016 | — | #226 | 1,716 | |
| 2015 | — | #211 | 1,885 | |
| 2014 | — | #205 | 1,881 | |
| 2013 | — | #205 | 1,875 | |
| 2012 | — | #182 | 2,116 | |
| 2011 | #16,764 | 5 | #181 | 2,142 |
| 2010 | #14,959 | 6 | #170 | 2,293 |
| 2009 | — | #168 | 2,309 | |
| 2008 | — | #159 | 2,488 | |
| 2007 | — | #142 | 2,854 | |
| 2006 | — | #159 | 2,647 | |
| 2005 | #10,128 | 10 | #172 | 2,420 |
| 2004 | #16,099 | 5 | #157 | 2,545 |
| 2003 | #12,408 | 7 | #149 | 2,754 |
| 2002 | — | #139 | 2,787 | |
| 2001 | #13,521 | 6 | #132 | 3,007 |
| 2000 | #10,745 | 8 | #121 | 3,214 |
| 1999 | — | #113 | 3,190 | |
| 1998 | #8,584 | 10 | #110 | 3,410 |
| 1997 | #9,017 | 9 | #106 | 3,672 |
| 1996 | #7,574 | 11 | #101 | 3,920 |
| 1995 | #6,641 | 13 | #83 | 4,452 |
| 1994 | #5,984 | 15 | #77 | 5,081 |
| 1993 | #7,498 | 11 | #67 | 5,762 |
| 1992 | #5,484 | 17 | #62 | 6,293 |
| 1991 | #5,181 | 18 | #59 | 6,893 |
| 1990 | #5,060 | 18 | #54 | 8,083 |
| 1989 | #2,931 | 37 | #54 | 8,365 |
| 1988 | #2,093 | 55 | #53 | 8,073 |
| 1987 | #1,962 | 57 | #54 | 8,253 |
| 1986 | #2,724 | 35 | #57 | 6,900 |
| 1985 | #2,398 | 41 | #56 | 6,661 |
| 1984 | #2,340 | 41 | #52 | 6,972 |
| 1983 | #1,993 | 51 | #51 | 6,986 |
| 1982 | #2,250 | 44 | #50 | 6,992 |
| 1981 | #2,342 | 42 | #53 | 6,481 |
| 1980 | #1,936 | 55 | #50 | 7,240 |
| 1979 | #3,147 | 26 | #72 | 4,200 |
| 1978 | #3,512 | 21 | #75 | 3,800 |
| 1977 | #3,366 | 22 | #84 | 3,441 |
| 1976 | #3,540 | 19 | #84 | 3,168 |
| 1975 | #4,141 | 15 | #83 | 3,186 |
| 1974 | #3,212 | 21 | #74 | 3,636 |
| 1973 | #3,233 | 20 | #69 | 3,919 |
| 1972 | #3,543 | 17 | #67 | 4,146 |
| 1971 | #2,736 | 26 | #63 | 4,667 |
| 1970 | #3,872 | 15 | #77 | 4,147 |
| 1969 | #4,198 | 12 | #109 | 2,925 |
| 1968 | #4,000 | 12 | #122 | 2,460 |
| 1967 | #4,625 | 9 | #123 | 2,447 |
| 1966 | #5,809 | 6 | #141 | 2,111 |
| 1965 | #4,831 | 8 | #167 | 1,801 |
| 1964 | #6,009 | 6 | #172 | 1,589 |
| 1963 | #4,896 | 8 | #177 | 1,636 |
| 1962 | #5,293 | 7 | #188 | 1,600 |
| 1961 | — | #205 | 1,405 | |
| 1960 | — | #247 | 1,047 | |
| 1959 | #5,031 | 7 | #254 | 984 |
| 1958 | — | #256 | 917 | |
| 1957 | — | #283 | 677 | |
| 1956 | #5,952 | 5 | #299 | 614 |
| 1955 | — | #330 | 501 | |
| 1954 | — | #363 | 393 | |
| 1953 | — | #373 | 338 | |
| 1952 | — | #364 | 341 | |
| 1951 | — | #408 | 278 | |
| 1950 | — | #471 | 202 | |
| 1949 | — | #641 | 113 | |
| 1948 | — | #862 | 63 | |
| 1947 | — | #889 | 61 | |
| 1946 | — | #980 | 47 | |
| 1945 | — | #995 | 41 | |
| 1944 | — | #949 | 46 | |
| 1943 | — | #714 | 81 | |
| 1942 | — | #1,228 | 32 | |
| 1941 | — | #1,633 | 18 | |
| 1940 | — | #1,208 | 31 | |
| 1939 | — | #1,390 | 23 | |
| 1938 | — | #1,521 | 20 | |
| 1937 | — | #2,479 | 9 | |
| 1936 | — | #1,205 | 30 | |
| 1935 | — | #2,246 | 11 | |
| 1934 | — | #2,393 | 10 | |
| 1933 | — | #2,214 | 11 | |
| 1932 | — | #2,191 | 12 | |
| 1931 | — | #1,843 | 16 | |
| 1930 | — | #2,178 | 13 | |
| 1929 | — | #3,559 | 6 | |
| 1928 | — | — | ||
| 1927 | — | — | ||
| 1926 | — | — | ||
| 1925 | — | — | ||
| 1924 | — | #3,867 | 6 | |
| 1923 | — | — | ||
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| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five boys were named Derek! It came in at #3,867, and was given to 6 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1925–1928, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.
Where Derek is popular in 1972
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Massachusetts#27 · 1 in 98
- New Hampshire#31 · 1 in 105
- Rhode Island#32 · 1 in 108
- Minnesota#42 · 1 in 175
- Alaska#48 · 1 in 192
Best ever in a state: #22 in South Dakota, 1987.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | #27 | 383 | 1 in 98 |
| New Hampshire | #31 | 49 | 1 in 105 |
| Rhode Island | #32 | 56 | 1 in 108 |
| Minnesota | #42 | 153 | 1 in 175 |
| Alaska | #48 | 14 | 1 in 192 |
| Maine | #48 | 37 | 1 in 197 |
| Michigan | #48 | 291 | 1 in 237 |
| Colorado | #54 | 74 | 1 in 245 |
| Kansas | #56 | 59 | 1 in 243 |
| Wyoming | #57 | 10 | 1 in 217 |
| Hawaii | #59 | 27 | 1 in 224 |
| Connecticut | #61 | 52 | 1 in 343 |
| Delaware | #61 | 12 | 1 in 307 |
| Missouri | #63 | 106 | 1 in 331 |
| Utah | #63 | 46 | 1 in 264 |
| Washington | #63 | 74 | 1 in 294 |
| Vermont | #65 | 11 | 1 in 271 |
| Florida | #66 | 144 | 1 in 351 |
| Illinois | #66 | 214 | 1 in 387 |
| Oregon | #66 | 43 | 1 in 338 |
| Maryland | #68 | 59 | 1 in 400 |
| District of Columbia | #69 | 31 | 1 in 301 |
| Indiana | #72 | 112 | 1 in 372 |
| New Jersey | #72 | 103 | 1 in 446 |
| North Dakota | #72 | 16 | 1 in 289 |
| Iowa | #74 | 55 | 1 in 348 |
| Wisconsin | #75 | 76 | 1 in 400 |
| New York | #79 | 241 | 1 in 506 |
| Ohio | #79 | 160 | 1 in 509 |
| California | #80 | 376 | 1 in 399 |
| Idaho | #80 | 18 | 1 in 324 |
| South Dakota | #81 | 13 | 1 in 342 |
| Montana | #82 | 14 | 1 in 333 |
| Virginia | #82 | 71 | 1 in 470 |
| North Carolina | #84 | 101 | 1 in 412 |
| Alabama | #94 | 65 | 1 in 425 |
| Nebraska | #94 | 21 | 1 in 515 |
| Pennsylvania | #95 | 129 | 1 in 614 |
| Nevada | #98 | 7 | 1 in 486 |
| Oklahoma | #98 | 42 | 1 in 450 |
| Arkansas | #100 | 31 | 1 in 483 |
| Georgia | #100 | 85 | 1 in 477 |
| Tennessee | #101 | 59 | 1 in 544 |
| Louisiana | #106 | 65 | 1 in 481 |
| Kentucky | #113 | 40 | 1 in 663 |
| Arizona | #123 | 29 | 1 in 584 |
| New Mexico | #124 | 17 | 1 in 519 |
| Mississippi | #128 | 31 | 1 in 643 |
| Texas | #130 | 182 | 1 in 585 |
| West Virginia | #134 | 15 | 1 in 922 |
| South Carolina | #155 | 27 | 1 in 806 |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Derek
- 26 spots since 2024 (#258 → #284)
- 25 spots since 2020 (#309 → #284)
- 73 spots since 2015 (#211 → #284)
- Biggest jump: 514 spots in 1943 (#1,228 → #714)
- Biggest drop: 235 spots in 1944 (#714 → #949)
- Debuted 1924
- Peaked 1980 at #50 (7,240 births)
- Births halved by 1998, 18 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 26 yrs · run 1970–1995
- Top 1,000: 83 yrs · run 1943–2025
- Highest: 1 in 226 boys born in 1987 were named Derek (0.44%)
- Latest: 1 in 1,434 boys born in 2025 (0.07%)
- Its best rank, #50 in 1980, was only 1 in 246 (0.41%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 30.5% of all boys named Derek (72,923) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 12 | #3,559 (1929) | #3,713 |
| 1930s | 155 | #1,205 (1936) | #1,966 |
| 1940s | 533 | #641 (1949) | #1,010 |
| 1950s | 5,245 | #254 (1959) | #340 |
| 1960s | 19,021 | #109 (1969) | #165 |
| 1970s | 38,310 | #63 (1971) | #75 |
| 1980s | 72,923 | #50 (1980) | #53 |
| 1990s | 50,756 | #54 (1990) | #83 |
| 2000s | 27,025 | #121 (2000) | #150 |
| 2010s | 17,978 | #170 (2010) | #218 |
| 2020s | 7,102 | #258 (2024) | #287 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Derek in 1972
Top girls' names in 1972
Top boys' names in 1972
More about 1972
girls
1,521,244 girls got a published name in 1972; 1 in 89,485 of them was named Derek, which outranked 63.3% of the 9,666 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #3,404Waleska18
- #3,404Yolandra18
- #3,404Zara18
- #3,543Derek17
- #3,543Abena17
- #3,543Alex17
- #3,543Alicea17
- #3,714Adella16
- #3,714Adelle16
- #3,714Adrena16
Tied with 170 names at #3,543; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,621,608 boys got a published name in 1972; 1 in 391 of them was named Derek, which outranked 98.8% of the 5,751 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.