Pronunciation
Deer-dra / Deer-druh
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
An ancient Irish name associated with Deirdre of the Sorrows. Sorrow is a story association rather than a confirmed literal translation
Alternate spellings
Deirdre
Fun fact
Deirdre is at the heart of one of Ireland’s great tragic love stories, alongside Naoise and the sons of Uisneach. She’s often called Deirdre of the Sorrows, that’s a title from her story, rather than a literal translation of her name.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Deirdre, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2024 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2023 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2022 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2021 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2020 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2019 | 3 | #871 |
| 2018 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2017 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2016 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2015 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2014 | 3 | #876 |
| 2013 | 4 | #747 |
| 2012 | Less than 3 | - |
| 2011 | 5 | #695 |
| 2010 | 5 | #663 |
| 2009 | 8 | #488 |
| 2008 | 11 | #403 |
| 2007 | 13 | #326 |
| 2006 | 17 | #247 |
| 2005 | 8 | #398 |
| 2004 | 9 | #340 |
| 2003 | 15 | #233 |
| 2002 | 21 | #182 |
| 2001 | 24 | #166 |
| 2000 | 16 | #213 |
| 1999 | 21 | #171 |
| 1998 | 23 | #152 |
| 1997 | 60 | #88 |
| 1996 | 64 | #80 |
| 1995 | 80 | #67 |
| 1994 | 90 | #61 |
| 1993 | 119 | #51 |
| 1992 | 119 | #52 |
| 1991 | 145 | #42 |
| 1990 | 143 | #43 |
| 1989 | 151 | #39 |
| 1988 | 191 | #32 |
| 1987 | 261 | #25 |
| 1986 | 276 | #24 |
| 1985 | 305 | #23 |
| 1984 | 309 | #20 |
| 1983 | 387 | #20 |
| 1982 | 463 | #15 |
| 1981 | 456 | #17 |
| 1980 | 464 | #15 |
| 1979 | 498 | #8 |
| 1978 | 499 | #8 |
| 1977 | 540 | #7 |
| 1976 | 483 | #9 |
| 1975 | 464 | #10 |
| 1974 | 495 | #8 |
| 1973 | 529 | #7 |
| 1972 | 516 | #9 |
| 1971 | 535 | #10 |
| 1970 | 514 | #9 |
| 1969 | 528 | #8 |
| 1968 | 468 | #7 |
| 1967 | 504 | #9 |
| 1966 | 613 | #7 |
| 1965 | 470 | #11 |
| 1964 | 408 | #14 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.