Dearra
A Gaelic feminine name derived from the word "deara" meaning "daughter of a poet".
Name Census estimates that about 454 living Americans carry the first name Dearra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dearra today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dearra births was 2021 (75 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dearra. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
454
~ 1 in 754,966 Americans
Peak year
2021
75 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,398
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Dearra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dearra from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 273 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dearra by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Dearra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Dearras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Florida, Georgia, Texas recorded the most babies named Dearra, while North Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dearra
The name Dearra has its origins in Irish Gaelic, an ancient Celtic language spoken in Ireland. It is believed to have derived from the Old Irish word "dearr," which means "daughter" or "maiden." The name's earliest recorded use dates back to the 5th century AD, during the height of the Irish monastic tradition.
In ancient Irish texts and manuscripts, the name Dearra often appears as a diminutive form of the name Dearbhail, which itself is derived from the same root word "dearr." These manuscripts, many of which were written by Irish monks, provide some of the earliest documented evidence of the name's existence.
One of the earliest recorded individuals to bear the name Dearra was Saint Dearra of Kildare, an Irish nun and abbess who lived in the 6th century AD. According to hagiographic accounts, she was a disciple of St. Brigid of Kildare and founded several monasteries in Ireland.
Another notable figure with the name was Dearra ingen Taidg, a 9th-century Irish princess who was the daughter of Tadc mac Muireadaig, the King of Connacht. She is mentioned in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history.
In the 12th century, Dearra ingen Diarmata was an Irish noblewoman and the wife of Muirchertach Ua Briain, the King of Munster. She is referenced in several contemporary Irish annals and genealogical records.
During the 16th century, Dearra Ní Bhreathnach was a renowned Irish poet and composer who lived in County Kilkenny. Her poetry, written in the Irish language, is preserved in various manuscript collections and provides insight into the cultural and literary traditions of the time.
Dearra Ní Dhubhagáin, born in the late 17th century, was an Irish noblewoman and landowner from County Tipperary. She is mentioned in legal documents and land records from the period, reflecting the social and economic dynamics of the time.
Throughout its history, the name Dearra has remained closely tied to its Irish Gaelic roots, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and linguistic traditions of Ireland. Its enduring presence in historical records and literary works attests to its significance and longevity as an Irish given name.
People
Dearra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dearra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dearra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dearra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 454 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dearra going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 754,966 US residents.
Is Dearra a common name?
We classify Dearra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 458 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dearra most popular?
The single biggest year for Dearra was 2021, when 75 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dearra is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Dearra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dearra in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.