Dirk
Dirk is a male given name of Dutch origin. It is a traditional diminutive of the Dutch name Diederik. The meaning of the name is "the people's ruler", composed of þeud ("people") and ric ("power"). Dirk may also be a surname. It is cognate to French Thierry, German Dietrich and Gothic Theoderic.
Meaning & Origin of Dirk
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Dirk is a male given name of Dutch origin. It is a traditional diminutive of the Dutch name Diederik. The meaning of the name is "the people's ruler", composed of þeud ("people") and ric ("power"). Dirk may also be a surname. It is cognate to French Thierry, German Dietrich and Gothic Theoderic.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Dirk
Dirk first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1918, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1954, when 438 Dirks were born — ranking #341 that year. As of 2026, Dirk ranks #6,566 for baby boys with 12 births, falling sharply (-40%). In total, more than 11K Dirks have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Dirk
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Dirk I, Count of Holland (died 944)
- Dirk II, Count of Holland (944–988)
- Dirk III, Count of Holland (died 1039)
- Dirk IV, Count of Holland (1020–1049)
- Dirk V, Count of Holland (1052–1091)
- Dirk VI, Count of Holland (1114–1157)
- Dirk VII, Count of Holland (died 1203)
- Dirk Bach (1961–2012), German actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Dirk
Phonetically similar names — useful when Dirk 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 Dirk
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About the name Dirk
Dirk is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1918 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Dirk's peak popularity came in 1954 when it ranked #341. Use the chart and map above to compare Dirk's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1954 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "D" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.