Dyrk
Derived from Old Norse, meaning "oak tree".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Dyrk. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dyrk today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dyrk births was 1954 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dyrk. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Dyrk is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dyrks were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dyrk. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1954
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1957 SSA rank
#4,140
Tracked since 1954
Popularity
Dyrk: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Dyrk by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dyrk during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Dyrk
The name Dyrk has its origins in Old Norse, the language spoken by the Vikings and other Scandinavian peoples from around the 8th to the 13th centuries. It is derived from the Old Norse word "dyrkr," which means "honor" or "to honor." The name was likely given to children as a way to express the hope that they would grow up to be honorable individuals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dyrk can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical and literary works written in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the Saga of Erik the Red, a character named Dyrk is mentioned as one of the early settlers of Greenland. This suggests that the name was in use among the Norse people as early as the 10th century.
During the Viking Age, from around the 8th to the 11th centuries, the name Dyrk may have been carried by Norse explorers and settlers as they ventured across Europe and beyond. However, written records from this time period are scarce, and specific individuals with the name are not well documented.
In more recent history, there have been a few notable figures who bore the name Dyrk. One example is Dyrk Ashton (1915-1998), an American actor and director best known for his work in television and films in the 1950s and 1960s. Another is Dyrk Hendricks (born 1942), a former professional baseball player who played for the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves in the 1960s and 1970s.
In the realm of literature, Dyrk Miner (1933-2015) was an American poet and professor of English. His works explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the human experience. Additionally, Dyrk Wallick (born 1958) is a Canadian author and journalist who has written several books on sports and popular culture.
While not a common name in modern times, Dyrk has a rich historical background rooted in the Norse culture and language. Its meaning of "honor" reflects the values and ideals held by these ancient peoples, and its use throughout history serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of this unique name.
People
Dyrk + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dyrk as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dyrk: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dyrk?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dyrk going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Dyrk a common name?
We classify Dyrk as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dyrk most popular?
The single biggest year for Dyrk was 1954, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dyrk is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Dyrk in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dyrk a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dyrk in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Dyrk still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dyrk in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Dyrk can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Dyrk?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.