The first name Derry
A boy’s name from Irish meaning “oak grove”, “oak forest”.
Pronounced /ˈdɛɹi/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Irish origin
Derry means “oak grove”, “oak forest” in Irish.
From Irish Doire, from doire (“oak grove”), from Old Irish daire (“oak forest”), from Proto-Celtic *daru.
More names that mean forest.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Derry last appeared in the official list in 2022, given to 6 boys. It peaked in 1996, with 24 births (#654).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Derry with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Derry at birth, 1880–2025
In 2016, 6 boys born in the United States were named Derry, the 11,066th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 50 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Derry in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Famous people named Derry
1 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Derry MurkinEnglish association football player (born 1999)
More Irish boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Derry mean?
- Derry means “oak grove”, “oak forest” in Irish.
- What is the origin of the name Derry?
- From Irish Doire, from doire (“oak grove”), from Old Irish daire (“oak forest”), from Proto-Celtic *daru.
- How popular is the name Derry?
- In 2022, 6 boys born in England and Wales were named Derry, ranking 3,048th. Its peak was 1996, with 24 births.
- Is Derry a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 1,678 US babies named Derry since 1880, 8% were girls and 92% boys.
- When was Derry most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 50 babies were named Derry, its highest rank at 1,076th.
- How do you pronounce Derry?
- Derry is /ˈdɛɹi/, 2 syllables.
- Is Derry also a surname?
- Yes. Derry is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.