Entry № 0461 · Greek origin

Deianira Deianira — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ day-ah-NEE-rah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Greek
Meaning
"Man-destroyer (Heracles's last wife)"
Syllables
4
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Ancient (Greek)

A name that means "man-destroyer (heracles's last wife)".

Deianira (Δηϊάνειρα) combines the Greek dēïos (slaying) and anēr (man) — "man-destroyer." Heracles's last wife, who unwittingly poisoned him with a tunic dipped in the centaur Nessus's blood, then took her own life in grief.

Featured in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Handel's opera Hercules (1745).

Man-destroyer. The unwitting poisoner of Heracles.

The name in its native script.

Δηϊάνειρα
Transliteration
Dēïáneira
Pronunciation
/ ˌdeɪ.əˈniː.rə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Deianira stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 0 in 0
Babies named Deianira · last year
87 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
0
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · — NOW · —

Deianiras before her.

Real people
Deianira
Greek mythological figure.
In fiction
Deianira
Heroine of Sophocles' Trachiniae.
5th c. BCE play

Names connected to Deianira.

The number behind Deianira.

5

The Free Spirit

Deianira reduces to five — the number of Greek tragedy.

Why families chose this name.

"Heracles's last wife. Eight letters. Deianira."
Eleni · Mother of one · Calydon