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BoyProto-Germanic origin1 syllable

Dick

Literal root meaning: “king, ruler + hard, brave”

About the name Dick

Dick is a boy name with Proto-Germanic roots, literally “king, ruler + hard, brave”. It is related to Richard, which is where the meaning comes from.

It has a vintage, unique, short & sweet feel. Fewer than 5 US babies of either sex received it in 2025, so it's very rare right now. Its peak year since 1940 was 1940. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Dick were boys.

Etymology

A diminutive of Richard, which comes from Proto-Germanic, meaning “king, ruler” + “hard, brave”.

Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Dick”, “Richard”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.

US rank 2025
Not ranked
In 2015
Not ranked
Babies in 2025
Under 5

Popularity of Dick, 1940–2025

022845668391119401960198020002020
BoysBabies per year in the US

Latest SSA data: 2025.

Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).

Nicknames for Dick

Dick is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.

Names similar to Dick

Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.