Phaidre as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Phaidre

What is the meaning of the name Phaidre ?

The baby name Phaidre is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced FAY-druh (ˈfeɪ.drə).

Phaidre is Greek in Origin.

Phaidre is a modern hybrid spelling rooted in the ancient Greek name Phaedra (Greek Φαίδρα), derived from phaidros, “bright, radiant.” In mythology, Phaedra was a Cretan princess, daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë, wife of Theseus, and central to the tragic tale of Hippolytus. Her story entered Western canon through Euripides, Seneca, and, most influentially in French, Racine’s Phèdre, which fixed the name in European literature.

While “Phaidre” itself is rare and contemporary, related forms have seen broader use: Phaedra in English; Phaidra or Faidra in modern Greek; Phèdre in French; and Fedra in Italian, Spanish, and some Slavic languages. Other Anglicized respellings include Faedra and Phedra. The meaning “radiant” gives the name an upbeat, luminous feel, and occasional cultural sparks - such as Tangerine Dream’s 1974 album Phaedra and public figures like attorney Phaedra Parks - have kept the classical form visible. Nicknames can include Fae, Fia, or Drea.

⚙ We have no record of Phaidre in any national birth registry or name dataset. Most often that means a rare name, a regional or heritage one, or a recent coinage. Either way, it remains a genuinely rare choice.