Dirk (name)

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

• Dirk I, Count of Holland (died 944)
• Dirk II, Count of Holland (944–988)
• Dirk III, Count 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 (born 1951), 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 Richou (1971-Present), United States IT Professional and former Ice Hockey Player
• 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 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 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)