Deidre is a unique and beautiful female name of Irish origin. It comes from the Old Irish name Derbforgaill, which was composed of the elements derb, meaning "oak," and forgaill, meaning "gentle." Therefore, Deidre means "gently as an oak tree."
The name Deidre is associated with the ancient Irish legend of Deirdre of the Sorrows. According to the story, Deirdre was a beautiful maiden who was destined to bring great tragedy upon Ireland. She fell in love with Naoise, but their happiness was short-lived as they were pursued by King Conchobar, who also desired Deirdre. The lovers eventually fled to Scotland but were later betrayed and killed.
Despite its tragic associations, the name Deidre has been adopted by many families throughout history. It is considered a classic Irish name that evokes images of ancient Celtic lore and beauty. Today, Deidre remains a popular choice among parents seeking an unusual yet meaningful name for their daughter.
The name Deidre has seen a significant rise and fall in popularity over the past century in the United States, as indicated by the annual birth statistics provided.
From 1933 to 1943, the number of births with the name Deidre fluctuated between 5 and 8 per year. However, starting from 1944, there was a substantial increase in the popularity of this name, with 26 births that year. This upward trend continued throughout the 1940s and 1950s, reaching a peak in 1962 with 539 births.
The 1960s and early 1970s saw a steady decline in the popularity of Deidre, with the number of births decreasing from 483 in 1964 to 264 in 1972. This downward trend continued into the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, with the lowest point being 5 births in 1996.
Despite this decline, there was a slight resurgence in the popularity of Deidre in the early to mid-1990s, with the number of births increasing from 95 in 1996 to 283 in 1991. However, this increase was short-lived, and the popularity of Deidre continued to decline throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.
From 2005 onwards, there have been fewer than 30 births with the name Deidre each year in the United States. The most recent data available shows that there were 5 births in both 2017 and 2021.
In total, over the course of the past century, there have been 14,665 births with the name Deidre in the United States. While it is clear that this name has seen periods of popularity and unpopularity, its overall usage remains relatively low compared to other names. Nonetheless, Deidre continues to be a unique and distinct name choice for parents looking for something different.