Dietrich
Theodoric is a Germanic given name. First attested as a Gothic name in the 5th century, it became widespread in the Germanic-speaking world, not least due to its most famous bearer, Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths.
- German
Meaning & Origin of Dietrich
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Theodoric is a Germanic given name. First attested as a Gothic name in the 5th century, it became widespread in the Germanic-speaking world, not least due to its most famous bearer, Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
The Story of Dietrich
As a girl name
Dietrich first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1953, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1962: 14 births, good for #3,438 nationwide. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 57% of all recorded Dietrichs. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1978 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 149 Dietrichs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Dietrich on the record books as a boy name in 1917, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 58 Dietrichs were born — ranking #2,278 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,488 among boy names with 33 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 2K Dietrichs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Dietrich
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Dietrich. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Dietrich
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dietrich 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 Dietrich
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About the name Dietrich
Dietrich is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1917 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Dietrich's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #1,327. Use the chart and map above to compare Dietrich's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
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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.