Name meaning & stats
Debra
Debra means “bee” (Hebrew origin). 551,238 US babies since 1940, peak 1955. Notable Debras are 1.3× over-represented as professors.
What it means
“bee”
HebrewWell documented
In US birth records
Peak year: 1955
551,238 US babies were named Debra between 1940 and 2025.
Where Debras end up
Not enough notable Debras yet, so this uses the spelling family: Deborah, Debra, Debora.
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Writer | 1.2× | High · 83 people |
| Actor | 0.8× | High · 74 people |
| Politician | 1.3× | High · 68 people |
| Professor | 1.3× | High · 46 people |
Among notable women who are professors, the Deborah family show up 1.3× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Debra has a surprise career: 1.7×
Spelling family
1 in 2 Deborahs spell it Debra
- Deborah 55%
- Debra 41%
- Debora 2%
- Debrah <1%
- Debbra <1%
- Debroah <1%
- Debera <1%
- Deborha <1%
- Deborrah <1%
- Debborah <1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1955)