Deidra

A girl's name of Irish origin with 10,287 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's nameRare nameNot ranked recently

Meaning & Origin

Among U.S. girl's names, Deidra is not in the current national top 1,000. It peaked at #340 births in 1980 and has since stepped back from the mainstream.

Appearing in records from 1941 to 2020, Deidra has a solid multi-decade track record without being a permanent fixture — it belongs to a specific chapter of American naming.

Deidra is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.

Deidra is a girl's baby name of Irish origin, a variant spelling of Deirdre, the tragic heroine of Irish mythology, whose name is believed to mean 'sorrowful' or possibly 'one who rages.' Deirdre of the Sorrows is a central figure in the Ulster Cycle of Irish legend.

This simplified spelling emerged in the mid-20th century for English speakers drawn to the name's Celtic music but uncertain about its original spelling. Passionate and poetic, it carries all the emotional depth of Irish mythology.

EtymologyShow more

Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Deidra is rooted in the Irish tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1941 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.

With 10,287 recorded U.S. births, Deidra has clearly resonated across communities. Names that reach this level of adoption typically carry a sound that works in multiple accents and cultural contexts — a kind of phonetic universality.

At a Glance

10,287

Total births

Since 1941

1980

Peak

340 births

1941

First recorded

80 years of data

Compare Deidra with another name

Popularity Over Time

Deidra has 78+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1941.

First appeared: 1941Peak: 1980 (340 births)

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Deidra
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	5	#15703	▼
2010s	96	#11286	▼
2000s	355	#4393	▼
1990s	1,615	#1257	▼
1980s	2,699	#679	▲
1970s	2,129	#720	▼
1960s	2,483	#628	▲
1950s	599	#1330	▲
1940s	306	#1719	—

The Story of Deidra

A Gen X name

Peaking in 1980, Deidra is a Gen X staple. Girls named Deidra are most likely born between 1970 and 1990.

How rare is Deidra?

Deidra has 10,287 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1941, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1980s with 2,699 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Deidra by the numbers

Would fill 214 school buses
Meeting one Deidra per day would take 28.2 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(78 years, 1941–2020)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Deidra
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2020	5	#15703	-3 (-37.5%)
2019	8	#11625	+1 (14.3%)
2018	7	#12815	0
2017	7	#13049	+1 (16.7%)
2016	6	#14792	-1 (-14.3%)
2015	7	#13350	-3 (-30.0%)
2014	10	#10335	+2 (25.0%)
2013	8	#12287	-6 (-42.9%)
2012	14	#8314	0
2011	14	#8306	-1 (-6.7%)
2010	15	#7991	-9 (-37.5%)
2009	24	#5754	+3 (14.3%)
2008	21	#6404	-3 (-12.5%)
2007	24	#5758	-3 (-11.1%)
2006	27	#5126	-1 (-3.6%)
2005	28	#4740	-4 (-12.5%)
2004	32	#4312	-16 (-33.3%)
2003	48	#3096	-1 (-2.0%)
2002	49	#2981	+6 (14.0%)
2001	43	#3210	-16 (-27.1%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Deidra a boy's or girl's name?

Deidra is primarily a girl's name.

When was Deidra most popular?

Deidra reached its peak popularity in 1980 with 340 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Deidra?

Deidra is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 10,287 babies in the U.S. since 1941. Its peak was in 1980.

Explore More

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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1941–2020