Debra

The first name Debra is an English short form of the biblical name Debora/Deborah. It is derived from the Hebrew word dvorá (דְּבוֹרָה) and means "the bee."

What does the name Debra mean?

Debra is an English abbreviation of the biblical name Debora/Deborah and is derived from the Hebrew dvorá (דְּבוֹרָה), meaning "the bee." The name is quite popular in English-speaking regions, especially in the USA. Particularly in the mid-20th century, Debra was a sought-after girl's name. Notable bearers of this name include American actresses Debra Feuer, Debra Messing, and Debra Winger. Other variants of Deborah include Debbi, Debbie, and Debby.

Where does the name Debra come from?

The name Debra has its roots in ancient Hebrew and means "the bee."

How do you pronounce Debra?

The pronunciation of Debra is clear and two-syllable. In German, the name is usually pronounced as "Deb-ra" [ˈdɛbʁa] or in English as "De-bra" [ˈdɛbrə], with the first syllable stressed. The short e gives the name a direct, open sound. The consonant combination -br- creates a certain tension, while the ending -a conveys a pleasant warmth. Debra thus appears both confident and feminine - compact, modern, and present.

When is the name day of Debra?

The name day for Debra is celebrated on September 21.

Popularity

In Germany, Debra is a rather rare first name. In 2022, it ranked 5,539th in the list of the most common female first names. Its best ranking was achieved in 2016 with 4,471st place. In the last ten years, Debra has been given as a first name less than ten times, which places it 8,310th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it was ranked 9,958th.

Nicknames & pet names

Deb / Debbie / Debra-Zebra

Famous people

• Debra Allbery (American poet)
• Debra Bardowicks (animal photographer)
• Debra Berger (American actress)
• Debra Bloomfield (American photographer)
• Debra Byrd (American actress)
• Debra Dickerson (American writer)
• Debra Evans (American writer)
• Debra Fischer (American astronomer)
• Debra Ghigna (American writer)
• Debra Gillett (German actress)
• Debra Haley (bodybuilder)
• Debra Hayward (film producer from Japan)
• Debra M. Ginsberg (American writer)
• Debra Marshall (actress and wrestling manager)
• Debra Martin Chase (American film producer)
• Debra Messing (actress)
• Debra Monk (American actress)
• Debra Mooney (American actress)
• Debra Nails (American philosopher)
• Debra Oswald (writer from Australia)