Dierdre as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Dierdre

What is the meaning of the name Dierdre ?

The baby name Dierdre is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced DEER-druh (IPA: /ˈdɪərdrə/).

Dierdre is Irish in Origin.

Dierdre is an Anglicized variant of the Irish name Deirdre, from Old Irish Derdriu. Pronounced DEER-dra or DEER-dree, its etymology is uncertain; some link it to notions of “sorrow” or “broken-hearted,” though that association likely stems from the legend rather than the root itself. In early Irish literature, Deirdre of the Sorrows is the tragic heroine of the Ulster Cycle, betrothed to King Conchobar yet in love with Naoise, a tale that cemented the name’s melancholy aura.

The name entered English use via the Irish Literary Revival and works by J. M. Synge and W. B. Yeats, with popularity peaking mid-20th century in Ireland, the UK, and the United States. Dierdre is a modern respelling in English-speaking countries but remains rarer than Deirdre. Standard form is Deirdre; other variants include Deidre, Dierdre, Deirdra, and Deedra, with Derdriu attested in medieval sources. Short forms Dee and Deedee occur in modern use.