UK girl's name
Deina
An unusual feminine name of Greek origin meaning "terrible", "dreadful" or "formidable".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Deina is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Deina popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5581, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 4 births.
This profile covers 20 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2006 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 20 living people in the UK are called Deina. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Deina ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 4 girls were registered as Deina.
- • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Deina as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5581
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
2015
4 births
Estimated living
20
2026
Meaning
What does Deina mean?
The name Deina has its origins in Ancient Greek, where it was derived from the word "deinos," meaning "terrible" or "dreadful." This name was likely given to individuals who were perceived as formidable or awe-inspiring in some way.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Deina can be found in Greek mythology. In the Iliad, Homer mentions a character named Deina, who was a daughter of the river god Achelous. However, not much is known about this figure beyond her name.
During the Classical period of Ancient Greece, the name Deina was relatively uncommon but still in use. One notable individual with this name was Deina of Corinth, a philosopher who lived in the 5th century BCE. She was a student of the renowned teacher Socrates and is mentioned in some of Plato's dialogues.
In the Hellenistic period, the name gained more popularity, particularly in the regions of Anatolia and the Levant. A famous bearer of the name was Deina of Samos, a poet and musician who lived in the 3rd century BCE. She was celebrated for her skill in composing lyrical poetry and was highly regarded in her time.
Moving into the Roman era, there are records of a few individuals named Deina, although the name remained relatively uncommon. One notable figure was Deina of Ephesus, a physician who lived in the 2nd century CE. She was known for her expertise in treating various ailments and is mentioned in some medical texts from that period.
In the Middle Ages, the name Deina fell out of widespread use in most parts of Europe. However, it remained in occasional use in certain regions of Greece and parts of the Byzantine Empire. One example is Deina Palaiologina, a member of the Byzantine nobility who lived in the 14th century CE.
Throughout history, the name Deina has been borne by various other individuals, although many of them are relatively obscure figures. Some examples include Deina of Alexandria (3rd century CE, scholar), Deina of Cyrene (2nd century BCE, philosopher), and Deina of Argos (5th century BCE, poet).
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Deina over time
The chart below shows babies named Deina registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Deina, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Deina by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Deina was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5058 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #5222 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #5309 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Deina
- Daisy 49,435
- Danielle 13,507
- Darcie 11,010
- Darcy 10,516
- Darcey 9,708
- Delilah 9,098
- Demi 9,052
- Daniella 4,324
- Destiny 3,732
- Diana 3,258
- Dorothy 3,104
- Dolly 2,246
FAQ
Deina: questions and answers
How popular is the name Deina in the UK right now?
In 2021, Deina was ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Deina most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 4 babies registered as Deina in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Deina?
An unusual feminine name of Greek origin meaning "terrible", "dreadful" or "formidable".
How many people are called Deina in the UK?
A total of 20 babies have been registered as Deina across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.