Deirdre

Deirdre is a girl's name that is used in both English and Irish. The exact meaning is unclear, but it is often associated with 'the daughter' or 'the woman.' Additionally, there are interpretations that associate the name with 'the angry one,' 'the grieving one,' or simply 'the sorrow.'

What does the name Deirdre mean?

Deirdre is a female first name of English-Irish origin, whose meaning is not definitively established. It is believed that the name means 'the daughter' or 'the woman.' Occasionally, it is also associated with terms like 'the angry one,' 'the grieving one,' or 'the sorrow.' The origin of the name lies in Old Irish, where the original form is Derdriu. This traces back to the words der, meaning 'daughter' or 'woman,' and derdrethar, which stands for 'to grieve,' 'angry,' 'sad,' 'raging,' or 'fuming.' The pronunciation is generally as deer-druh or dirdri. In Irish and Old English mythology, Deirdre is the queen of the 'little folk' and is also described as the queen of the forest, making her a mysterious and powerful figure. She is the main character in the Gaelic tale 'Deirdre of the Sorrows.' Variants of the name include Deirdra, Deidra, Deidre, and Deitra.

Where does the name Deirdre come from?

The name Deirdre has its roots in Old Irish and means 'the daughter.' The word origins consist of 'der' for daughter or woman and 'derdrethar' for grieving, angry, sad, raging, fuming. The name is used in the languages of English, Irish, and Scottish.

How do you pronounce Deirdre?

The pronunciation is usually as deer-druh or dirdri.

When is the name day of Deirdre?

The name day for Deirdre is celebrated on January 15.

Popularity

Deirdre is a rather rare first name in Germany. In 2016, the name ranked 4,471 on the list of the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2008, when it reached rank 1,636. In the last ten years, Deirdre has been given as a first name fewer than 10 times, placing it at 7,773 in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, the name ranks 7,054.

Nicknames & pet names

Dede / Dee / Deir / Di

Famous people

• Deirdre Algie (South African badminton player)
• Deirdre Cartwright (* 1956), British fusion jazz guitarist
• Deirdre Davis (British actress)
• Déirdre de Búrca (* 1963), Irish politician
• Deirdre Demet-Barry (American cyclist)
• Deirdre Donnelly (Irish actress)
• Deirdre Flint (American musician)
• Deirdre Gogarty (Irish boxer)
• Deirdre Hyde (painter from England)
• Deirdre Imus (American writer)
• Deirdre Lenihan (American actress)
• Deirdre Lorenz (American actress)
• Deirdre Lovejoy (American actress)
• Deirdre Madden (Northern Irish writer)
• Deirdre McNamer (American writer)
• Deirdre Mullins (Irish actress)
• Deirdre Murphy (American cyclist)
• Deirdre Oconnell (American actress)
• Deirdre Okane (British actress)
• Deirdre Purcell (writer)