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Name Lineage

    The first name Deirdre

    A girl’s name from Irish.

    Pronounced /ˈdɪɹdɹə/ 2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Irish origin

    From Irish Deirdre, from Old Irish Derdriu.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Deirdre last appeared in the official list in 1999, given to 3 girls. It peaked in 1997, with 3 births (#3,824).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    6
    babies named Deirdre, 1996–2025
    #3,900
    rank in 1999
    1997
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Deirdre with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Deirdre at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 13 girls born in the United States were named Deirdre, the 7,989th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1961, when 799 were.

    0400800 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    16,845
    babies named Deirdre since 1880
    #7,989
    rank in 2025
    1961
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Deirdre in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Ντέιρντρε
    Ntéirntre
    Greek
    데르드러
    dereudeureo
    Korean
    Де́йрдре
    Déjrdre
    Russian

    Spelled Deirdre in Irish and Scottish Gaelic too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Deirdre

    • Didi

    Other spellings and forms

    • Derdriu
    • Dierdre
    • Diedre

    Famous people named Deirdre

    7 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Deirdre McCloskey
      American economist & academic, born 1942
    • Deirdre Lovejoy
      American actress, born 1962
    • Deirdre O'Connell
      American actress, born 1951
    • Deirdre Quinn
      American actress, born 1970
    • Deirdre Bair
      American biographer (1935-2020)
    • Pema Chödrön
      American philosopher, born 1936
    • Dede Barry
      American speed skater and cyclist, born 1972

    More Irish girls’ names

    All 142 names of Irish origin

    Questions

    What does the name Deirdre mean?
    From Irish Deirdre, from Old Irish Derdriu.
    What is the origin of the name Deirdre?
    From Irish Deirdre, from Old Irish Derdriu.
    How popular is the name Deirdre?
    In 1999, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Deirdre, ranking 3,900th. Its peak was 1997, with 3 births.
    What are nicknames for Deirdre?
    Common nicknames for Deirdre include Didi.
    Is Deirdre a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 16,845 US babies named Deirdre since 1880 were girls.
    When was Deirdre most popular?
    1961 in the United States, when 799 babies were named Deirdre, its highest rank at 333rd.
    How do you pronounce Deirdre?
    Deirdre is /ˈdɪɹdɹə/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Deirdre?
    Derdriu, Dierdre and Diedre.