The name Derek derives from the Germanic elements "deer", meaning beast or brave, and "ric", meaning ruler or power. It originated as a personal name among the Anglo-Saxon people in England during the early medieval period, around the 5th to 7th centuries AD.

One of the earliest known references to the name Derek appears in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landowners in England compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Derric" in this text.

Derek was a relatively common name among the English nobility throughout the Middle Ages. One notable bearer of the name was Derek of Yorkshire, a 12th-century landowner and knight who fought in the Crusades. Another was Derek de Lacy, a 13th-century English nobleman and military commander during the reign of King John.

In the 15th century, the name Derek appeared in Scottish records, likely due to the influence of Anglo-Norman settlers in the region. One of the earliest Scottish references is to Derek Stewart, a 15th-century nobleman and ancestor of the later Stewart monarchs.

The name saw a resurgence in popularity during the Victorian era in the 19th century. Famous individuals named Derek from this period include Derek Parfit (1842-1925), a British philosopher and writer, and Derek Jacobi (1819-1892), a renowned English stage actor.

Other notable people named Derek throughout history include Derek Walcott (1930-2017), a Nobel Prize-winning Caribbean poet and playwright; Derek Jarman (1942-1994), an influential English filmmaker and artist; Derek Trucks (born 1979), an American guitarist and founder of the Derek Trucks Band; and Derek Jeter (born 1974), a former professional baseball player and shortstop for the New York Yankees.