Dirk

Dirk is a Low German and Dutch short form of Diederik, itself the Germanic equivalent of Theodoric, composed of the elements theud meaning people or nation and ric meaning power or ruler. The name has deep roots in medieval Germanic naming traditions and was borne by several counts of Holland, lending it an aristocratic association in the Low Countries. It gained broader international use, particularly in English-speaking countries, partly through the fame of British actor Dirk Bogarde. Theodoric and Diederik are among its closely related forms.