Dierk

Dierk is a Low German and Dutch contracted form of Dietrich, derived from the Old High German elements theud, meaning people or folk, and rihhi, meaning power or ruler, giving the overall sense of ruler of the people. It belongs to the same Germanic name family that produced Theodoric, the name borne by the famous Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great, whose legacy spread the name widely across medieval Europe. Closely related forms include Dirk, Derek, and Derk.