Derby
Derby is a cathedral city and unitary authority area on the River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original county town. As a unitary authority, Derby is administratively independent from Derbyshire County Council. The population of Derby is 274,149 (2024).
Meaning & Origin of Derby
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Derby is a cathedral city and unitary authority area on the River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original county town. As a unitary authority, Derby is administratively independent from Derbyshire County Council. The population of Derby is 274,149 (2024).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Derby
As a girl name
Derby first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1955, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1955, when 5 Derbys were born — ranking #5,828 that year. As of 2026, Derby ranks #15,532 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 10 Derbys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Derby first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1987, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1987, when 7 Derbys were born — ranking #5,459 that year. As of 2026, Derby ranks #12,285 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 29 Derbys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Derby
Phonetically similar names — useful when Derby is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Derby
What does the name Derby mean?
How popular is Derby in 2026?
When was Derby most popular?
Is Derby a unisex name?
What names go well with Derby?
About the name Derby
Derby is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 29 births in the dataset. Derby's peak popularity came in 1987 when it ranked #5,459. Use the chart and map above to compare Derby's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1987 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.