Debra
A spelling variant of Deborah first used in the 20th century.
Every Debra since 1914 — 551,841 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Debra
Debra is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,478 in 2025 with 31 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 551,841 American babies have been named Debra. Its peak came in 1955, when 50,638 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Debra stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Debra year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | #4,478 | — | — |
| 2024 | 43 | #3,593 | — | — |
| 2023 | 30 | #4,587 | — | — |
| 2022 | 39 | #3,842 | — | — |
| 2021 | 44 | #3,504 | — | — |
| 2020 | 44 | #3,459 | — | — |
| 2019 | 54 | #3,014 | — | — |
| 2018 | 50 | #3,218 | — | — |
| 2017 | 45 | #3,448 | — | — |
| 2016 | 53 | #3,113 | — | — |
| 2015 | 38 | #3,932 | — | — |
| 2014 | 54 | #3,087 | — | — |
| 2013 | 48 | #3,330 | — | — |
| 2012 | 68 | #2,639 | — | — |
| 2011 | 64 | #2,736 | — | — |
| 2010 | 73 | #2,519 | — | — |
| 2009 | 81 | #2,381 | — | — |
| 2008 | 88 | #2,234 | — | — |
| 2007 | 120 | #1,787 | — | — |
| 2006 | 118 | #1,763 | — | — |
| 2005 | 104 | #1,860 | — | — |
| 2004 | 132 | #1,520 | — | — |
| 2003 | 123 | #1,565 | — | — |
| 2002 | 140 | #1,379 | — | — |
| 2001 | 143 | #1,343 | — | — |
| 2000 | 164 | #1,211 | — | — |
| 1995 | 257 | #776 | — | — |
| 1990 | 542 | #454 | — | — |
| 1985 | 918 | #273 | — | — |
| 1980 | 1,558 | #177 | — | — |
| 1975 | 2,444 | #114 | 9 | #3,716 |
| 1970 | 7,198 | #47 | 22 | #1,902 |
| 1965 | 13,098 | #27 | 36 | #1,280 |
| 1960 | 26,732 | #8 | 75 | #877 |
| 1955 | 50,563 | #4 | 75 | #848 |
| 1950 | 6,176 | #59 | 8 | #2,821 |
| 1945 | 205 | #511 | — | — |
| 1940 | 85 | #752 | — | — |
| 1935 | 52 | #960 | — | — |
| 1930 | 17 | #2,038 | — | — |
| 1925 | 11 | #2,987 | — | — |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,058 | — | — |
| 1915 | 9 | #2,950 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Debra
- Debra Paget Actor · b. 1933
- Debra Winger Actor · b. 1955
- Debra Jo Rupp Actor · b. 1951
- Debra Messing Actor · b. 1968
- Debra Mooney Actor · b. 1947
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Debra mean?
A spelling variant of Deborah first used in the 20th century.
How popular is the name Debra in 2025?
Debra ranked #4,478 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 31 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Debra?
551,841 babies have been named Debra in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Debra most popular?
Debra peaked in 1955, when 50,638 newborns received the name.
Is Debra a boy or girl name?
Debra is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Debra rising or falling?
Debra is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Debra?
Well-known people named Debra include Debra Paget (actor), Debra Winger (actor), Debra Jo Rupp (actor).