Deianeira, derived from Greek roots meaning 'gentle maiden', was a figure from ancient Greek mythology. She was the second wife of Heracles, also known as Hercules, after his first wife Megara. Deianeira was the daughter of King Oeneus of Calydon and the nymph Althaea. In some versions of the myth, she is said to have been raised by the centaur Chiron.
Deianeira's most notable role in mythology comes from her association with Heracles' final labor. The couple had a son named Hyllus. During one of Heracles' adventures, he was fatally bitten by the Lernaean Hydra, whose venomous blood caused incurable pain and wounds. In search of a cure, Deianeira sought help from the centaur Nessus, who claimed to know of such a remedy. However, Nessus attempted to molest Deianeira instead. Heracles, seeing this, shot Nessus with an arrow poisoned with Hydra's blood. As Nessus lay dying, he convinced Deianeira to collect his blood in a pot, promising it would serve as a love option for Heracles if ever their marriage faltered.
Upon learning of Nessus' death, Deianeira felt remorseful and gave the pot containing Nessus' blood to Heracles. Unbeknownst to her, the blood was actually poisonous. When Heracles used the 'love potion' on a tunic he wore, it burned his flesh severely, causing him immense pain and leading ultimately to his death. Deianeira, realizing her mistake too late, took her own life out of despair.
The name Deianeira experienced fluctuations in popularity between 1995 and 2006, with the highest number of births recorded in 1995 at 22 babies, and the lowest in 1996 at just 7 births. Despite these variations, a total of 49 children were named Deianeira during this period.