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Home › Baby Names Directory › Diedra

Diedra

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Diedra

Pronounced DEE-druh /ˈdiː.drə/Medium

Meaning: Diedra is a phonetic respelling of Deirdre, the tragic heroine of Irish legend whose name is traditionally interpreted as 'sorrowful.' The plain -dra ending makes the notoriously tricky Deirdre easy to read and say; the meaning and heritage are those of the original.Medium

In 30 seconds: Diedra (said 'DEE-druh') is a phonetic spelling of the Irish Deirdre — 'sorrowful' — the doomed heroine of Celtic legend, made simple to read.
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Origin MediumIrish
MeaningDiedra is a phonetic respelling of Deirdre, the tragic heroine of Irish legend whose name is traditionally interpreted as 'sorrowful.' The plain -dra ending makes the notoriously tricky Deirdre easy to read and say; the meaning and heritage are those of the original.
U.S. rank (2004)#16843 ↘ Falling
2004 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1961
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,918

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196419442004

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

Diedra is a respelling of Deirdre, tied to Deirdre of the Sorrows and long glossed as 'sorrowful.' As Irish-inspired names spread in mid-century America, easy phonetic forms like Diedra appeared alongside the classic. Diedra shows up in the records from the 1940s, peaked around 1961, and faded by the early 2000s.

A Diedra from the early-sixties peak is now in her sixties, a mother-era name. It carries genuine mythic weight, but the simplified spelling reads as a period Americanization rather than a revival, and namers today often restore Deirdre. It offers the soft nickname Dee and pairs with siblings such as Sean, Maureen or Deanna.

Did you know? Diedra tidies up one of English's hardest-to-spell names: Deirdre's jumble of vowels becomes a clean 'DEE-druh,' while keeping the mythic 'sorrowful' meaning intact.
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Diedra — Respelling of Deirdre (Irish 'sorrowful'); c.1961 peak

Variations

DeirdreDeidraDedra

Nicknames

DeeDidi

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Diedra…

Deirdre— the traditional Irish spelling Diedra simplifies
Kendra— a like two-beat -dra girl's name
Audra— a same-rhythm soft -dra name
Sandra— another -dra girl's name of similar feel

Explore names like Diedra

By themerespellingirishmythic

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Diedra mean?

Diedra is a respelling of Deirdre, an Irish name from legend usually interpreted as 'sorrowful.'

How do you pronounce Diedra?

It's said DEE-druh /ˈdiː.drə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Diedra a boy or girl name?

Diedra is used as a girl's name, always as a girl's name.

How popular is Diedra?

Diedra was an uncommon spelling that peaked in the early sixties and has been rare since, behind the classic Deirdre.

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