Gender Feminine
Pronounced Pron. DIR-drə(English) DIR-dree(English) DYEHR-dryə(Irish)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.

It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 20th century, influenced by two plays featuring the character: William Butler Yeats' Deirdre (1907) and J. M. Synge's Deirdre of the Sorrows (1910).

Related Names

VariantsDeidra, Deidre, Deitra(English) Derdriu(Irish Mythology)

Popularity

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Entry updated January 21, 2022