Is Derec a boy's or girl's name?

Derec is primarily a boy's name.

When was Derec most popular?

Derec reached its peak popularity in 1971 with 10 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Derec?

Derec is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 104 babies in the U.S. since 1971. Its peak was in 1971.

Derec

An uncommon German pick — distinctive and rare.

Boy's nameGermanNot ranked recently

Rare name

Meaning & Origin

Derec is a boy's baby name of German origin, a Welsh-influenced spelling of Derek, from the Old High German Theodoric, meaning 'ruler of the people' or 'people's king.' In Wales, the spelling Derec reflects the Welsh phonetic tradition of using 'c' where English uses 'k.'

Derec gives the familiar Derek a distinctly Welsh appearance. It carries the same strong leadership meaning in a form that is at once familiar and visually distinctive, reflecting the Welsh linguistic heritage.

Compare Derec with another name

Popularity Over Time

Derec has 16+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1971.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Derec
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2000s	12	#10164	▼
1990s	48	#7350	▲
1980s	34	#6619	▲
1970s	10	#3198	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(16 years, 1971–2004)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Derec
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2004	5	#11799	-2 (-28.6%)
2001	7	#8529	+1 (16.7%)
1999	6	#8988	0
1998	6	#8755	-1 (-14.3%)
1995	7	#7184	0
1993	7	#6999	0
1992	7	#6856	0
1991	7	#6692	-1 (-12.5%)
1990	8	#5977	0
1989	8	#5770	+3 (60.0%)
1988	5	#7566	-1 (-16.7%)
1987	6	#6313	+1 (20.0%)
1986	5	#6993	0
1984	5	#6554	0
1981	5	#6518	-5 (-50.0%)
1971	10	#3198	—

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1971–2004) · Methodology