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Dierdra
How to Pronounce Dierdra
Pronounced DEER-druh /ˈdɪr.drə/Medium
Meaning: Dierdra is a phonetic American spelling of Deirdre, the name of a tragic heroine of Irish legend. The old name is often glossed as 'sorrowful' or connected to a word for one who murmurs or rages, though its earliest sense is uncertain. The -ier- respelling simply keeps the sound while looking less unfamiliar to English readers.Low
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
Dierdra is a transatlantic respelling of Deirdre, carried from Irish legend into mid-century American use. The parent name is tied to a doomed heroine and is commonly translated 'sorrowful,' with older roots debated among scholars. Families choosing Dierdra kept the Irish music of the name while smoothing its spelling for English eyes.
Dierdra was always rare, given to only about twenty girls a year at its high point around 1965, well below the modest use of Deirdre itself. A woman named Dierdra then is in her sixties today.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Dierdra mean?
It is a spelling of the Irish Deirdre, the name of a legendary heroine and often read as 'sorrowful.'
How do you pronounce Dierdra?
It is said DEER-druh /ˈdɪr.drə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Dierdra a boy or girl name?
Dierdra is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Dierdra?
It has always been rare, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak in the mid nineteen-sixties.