Deirdra
Feminine English variant of the Irish Derdriu meaning "wanderer, trailblazer".
Name Census estimates that about 1,014 living Americans carry the first name Deirdra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Deirdra today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Deirdra births was 1961 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Deirdra. 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
1.0K
~ 1 in 338,022 Americans
Peak year
1961
56 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2005 SSA rank
#14,957
Tracked since 1944
Popularity
Deirdra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Deirdra from the 1940s through to the 2000s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 432 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Deirdra 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 Deirdra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Deirdras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 10 states and territories. New York, California, Illinois recorded the most babies named Deirdra, while Ohio, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Deirdra
The name Deirdra has its origins in the Irish language, emerging during the medieval period in Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Deirdre," which is composed of the elements "der" meaning "daughter" and "dra," a variant of the word "dre" meaning "wanderer" or "traveler."
This name gained prominence through its appearance in the famous Irish legend of the Sorrows of Story of the Sons of Uisneach, a tragic tale from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. In this narrative, Deirdre is a beautiful and ill-fated woman whose story has captivated generations of storytellers and artists.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Deirdre can be found in the 12th-century Book of Leinster, a medieval Irish manuscript that preserved various literary and historical texts. This ancient text solidified the name's place in the cultural heritage of Ireland.
Throughout history, the name Deirdra and its variants have been borne by notable individuals. One such figure was Deirdre of the Sorrows (c. 1st century AD), the tragic heroine of the Irish legend mentioned earlier. Her story has been retold and reimagined countless times in literature, art, and music.
Another notable bearer of the name was Deirdre Borland (1949-2010), an Irish actress and playwright who gained recognition for her work in theater and film. She was a celebrated figure in the Irish arts scene and contributed significantly to the preservation of Irish cultural traditions.
In the realm of literature, Deirdre Madden (born 1960) is an acclaimed Irish novelist and playwright. Her works, including "One by One in the Darkness" and "Molly Fox's Birthday," have garnered critical acclaim and numerous literary awards.
The name Deirdra also has connections to the world of music. Deirdre Shannon (born 1965) is an Irish singer and songwriter known for her contributions to traditional Irish music. Her haunting vocals and masterful storytelling through song have earned her a devoted following.
Lastly, Deirdre McCloskey (born 1942) is a renowned American economist and author. Her groundbreaking work on economic theory and her advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights have made her a prominent figure in both academic and social spheres.
People
Deirdra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Deirdra 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
Deirdra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Deirdra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,014 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Deirdra 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 338,022 US residents.
Is Deirdra a common name?
We classify Deirdra as "Rare". It ranks above 90.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,172 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Deirdra most popular?
The single biggest year for Deirdra was 1961, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Deirdra is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Deirdra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Deirdra 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.