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.
People with the given name
Count Dirk I of Holland (died 944) Count Dirk II of Holland (944–988) Count Dirk III 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 Dirk Bauermann (born 1957), German basketball coach Dirk Benedict (born 1945), American actor Dirk Bezemer (born 1971), Dutch economist Dirk Bikkembergs (born 1959), Belgian fashion designer Dirk Blocker (born 1957), American actor Dirk Bolt (1930–2020), Dutch-born architect Dirk Bootsma (1936–2020), Dutch geneticist Dirk Brouwer (1902–1966), American astronomer Dirk Brossé (born 1960), Belgian composer Dirk Bruinenberg (born 1968), Dutch musician Dirk Chivers (fl. 1694–1699), Dutch pirate Dirk Coster (1889–1950), Dutch physicist Dirk Crabeth (1501–1574), Dutch artist Dirk Cussler (born 1961), American writer Dirk Dirksen (1937–2006), American music promoter Dirk Elbers (born 1959), German politician
Dirk Fock (1858–1941), Dutch politician Dirk Frimout (born 1941), Belgian astronaut and astrophysicist Dirk Gates (born 1961), American businessman Dirk Geukens (1963–2020), Belgian motocross racer Dirk Hartog (1580–1621), Dutch sailor and explorer Dirk Hayhurst (born 1981), American author Dirk Jan de Geer (1870–1960), Dutch politician and prime minister Dirk Jan Struik (1894–2000), Dutch mathematician and historian Dirk Johnson (born 1975), American football player Dirk Kemp (1913–1983), South African football player Dirk Kempthorne (1951–2026), American politician Dirk Kienscherf (born 1965), German politician Dirk de Klerk (1852–1920), Dutch politician Dirk Koetter (born 1959), American football coach Dirk Kuyt (born 1980), Dutch football player Dirk Mädrich (born 1983), German basketball player Dirk Mudge (1928–2020), Namibian politician Dirk Müller (artist) (born 1946), Dutch sculptor Dirk Müller (cyclist) (born 1973), German cyclist Dirk Müller (racing driver) (born 1975), German race car driver Dirk Nannes (born 1976), Australian cricket player Dirk Niebel (born 1963), German politician Dirk Nowitzki (born 1978), German basketball player Dirk Polder (1919–2001), Dutch physicist Dirk Reichardt (born 1964), German composer Dirk Schlächter (born 1965), German bassist Dirk Schreyer (1944–2025), German rower Dirk Stikker (1897–1979), Dutch politician and diplomat Dirk Stoop (1615–1686), Dutch painter Dirk Uittenbogaard (born 1990), Dutch rower Dirk Valkenburg (1675–1721), Dutch painter Dirk van Braeckel (born 1958), Belgian car designer Dirk van Erp (1860–1933), American coppersmith Dirk Van Raalte (1844–1910), American Union soldier and politician Dirk de Waard (1919–2011), Dutch-born American geologist Dirk Willems (died 1569), Dutch Anabaptist martyr and pacifist Dirk Wilutzky (born 1965), German film maker
People with the nickname
Dirk Bogarde (1921–1999), stage name of British actor Derek van den Bogaerde Stewart "Dirk" Fischer (1924–2013), American composer and musician Dirk Gringhuis (1918–1974), American artist and illustrator Dirk Meyer (born 1961), American businessman Dirk West (1930–1996), American editorial cartoonist and journalist Dirk from Veristablium, nickname of Derek Muller
People with the surname
Robert Dirk (born 1966), Canadian ice hockey player
Fictional characters with the name Dirk, a character from the horror comic series Witch Creek Road Dirk Anger, Marvel Comics character Dirk the Daring, the main character in the video game Dragon's Lair Dirk Dagger (also known as Dirk Spanner), the main character in the video game Dirk Dagger and the Fallen Idol Dirk Diggler, the main character in Boogie Nights played by Mark Wahlberg Dirk Dreamer, a character in the video game The Sims 2 Dirk Gently, the main character in Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams Dirk McQuickly, the equivalent of Paul McCartney in The Beatles parody band The Rutles Dirk Morgna, DC Comics character also known as Sun Boy Dirk Pitt, the main character in novels by Clive Cussler Dirk Strider, a character from the webcomic Homestuck Dirk Struan, the main character in James Clavell's 1966 novel Tai-Pan Dirk, a main character on Disney Channel's Bizaardvark Blackblaze Dirk, a villain in Xenoblade Chronicles 3
See also
Derek (name)
Dirck, given name Dirks (surname)