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Dejanira

♀ Girl

Pronounced day-ah-NEE-rah /ˌdeɪ.əˈniːr.ə/Medium

Meaning: Dejanira is the Spanish form of the Greek Deianira (Deïaneira), the wife of the hero Heracles in Greek myth. The name is usually read as 'man-destroyer' or 'destroyer of men' (from dais, 'to destroy', and anēr, 'man'), reflecting her fateful role in Heracles' death.Medium

In 30 seconds: Dejanira is the Spanish form of the Greek Deianira, Heracles' wife, often read 'man-destroyer' (said day-ah-NEE-rah). It appears among Latino families, peaking in the mid-1990s.

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Origin MediumGreek, Spanish

MeaningDejanira is the Spanish form of the Greek Deianira (Deïaneira), the wife of the hero Heracles in Greek myth. The name is usually read as 'man-destroyer' or 'destroyer of men' (from dais, 'to destroy', and anēr, 'man'), reflecting her fateful role in Heracles' death.

U.S. rank (1998)#8756 ↘ Falling

1998 U.S. births10 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1995

Total births (all-time)≈ 100

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Dejanira is the Spanish rendering of Deianira, a figure from Greek mythology and the third wife of the hero Heracles. Her name is traditionally analyzed as 'man-destroyer' or 'destroyer of men', a grim foreshadowing of the myth in which she accidentally poisons Heracles with a garment soaked in the centaur Nessus's blood. Carried into Spanish and Latin American use, Dejanira became a rare but striking classical name.

In the U.S. record Dejanira appears from the early 1990s, largely among Latino families, and reached its small peak in 1995 before easing off. A woman named Dejanira from that peak is now around thirty. It has always been very rare, but its deep roots in Greek myth give it unusual weight for a name of its tier — a dramatic, storied choice.

Did you know? In Greek myth Deianira unwittingly caused the death of her husband Heracles with a poisoned robe — a dramatic story behind a name whose meaning is often given as 'destroyer of men'.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Dejanira — Spanish form of Greek Deianira, wife of Heracles, 'man-destroyer'

Variations

DeianiraDeyaniraDejaniraDeyanaira

Nicknames

DejaNiraDeya

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Dejanira…

Xiomara— a fellow dramatic Latina girl's name

Dejah— shares the Deja- opening and sound

Dayanara— a similarly popular pick

Deyanira— echoes that soft -ra sound

Clytemnestra— another mythology pick

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By themegreek mythology 1990s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dejanira mean?

Dejanira is the Spanish form of the Greek Deianira, wife of Heracles, usually read as 'destroyer of men'.

How do you pronounce Dejanira?

It's said day-ah-NEE-rah /ˌdeɪ.əˈniːr.ə/ — four syllables, stress on the third.

Is Dejanira a boy or girl name?

Dejanira is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Dejanira?

Dejanira has always been very rare in the U.S., a classical name borne mainly by Latino families.