Debra

Debra - A very unique female name

Debra appeared on the charts for the first time in 1926 on position #1827. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Debra and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Debra? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Debra. The baby girl name Debra was given to 15 baby girls in 2024, ranking #3298 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 87,458 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Debra peaked in popularity 70 years ago in 1956 on position 2.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Debra, 1-5?

Debra is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Debra is currently topping the baby name charts in Indiana at position #1,083 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,348.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Debra is where you live.

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Debra origin and meaning

Hebrew, as a variant of Deborah

A mid-century spelling of Deborah, from Hebrew Devorah, 'bee'

Debra is the streamlined spelling of Deborah that the 1950s made its own: in the data from 1926, it peaked in 1955 and reached 547,774 lifetime births — one of the defining girls' names of its decade. It has since fallen below the recording threshold, with no births recorded in 2025. The Deborah of the Bible, a prophet and judge, stands behind the name's long history.

Attested etymology

Debra is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Debra, pop culture references for the name Debra and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Debra

We've found the following names that sound similar to Debra, sorted by popularity.

Deborah / Debora / Devorah / Debrah / Debbra / Devora / Debroah / Debera / Deborha / Deborrah /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Debra

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Debra a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Debra?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

DEB-rah · /ˈdɛbrə/

Around the world

• Devorah (Hebrew) — The original Hebrew form of Deborah

Spellings and nicknames

• Deborah — The biblical standard spelling of the same name
• Debora — A continental and biblical spelling of the same name

Nicknames: DebDebbie

Famous bearers

• Debra Messing — Actress, star of Will & Grace, born Debra Messing (b. 1968) Contemporary
• Debra Winger — Actress, star of An Officer and a Gentleman and Terms of Endearment (b. 1955) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalClassic

Why parents choose it

A true 1950s giant now chosen almost only as a namesake — for a mother or grandmother, Debra carries a whole generation with it.

Worth knowing

• Strongly dated to the 1950s–60s by its peak; it reads as a parent's or grandparent's name today
• Debra and Deborah are different spellings with different bearers — Debra Messing is not a Deborah bearer