Dechtire: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Dechtire, also written Deichtine, is the name of the mother of the hero Cú Chulainn in Irish legend; the meaning of the name is unknown. Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Gender
- Girl
How do you pronounce Dechtire?
Dechtire is pronounced DECK-tir-ra. It has three syllables, with the stress on the first.
What does Dechtire mean?
Dechtire, also written Deichtine or Deichtire, is the name of the mother of the hero Cú Chulainn in Irish legend. The meaning of the name is not known. She is the sister of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, though in the earliest version of her story she is his daughter and charioteer.
Accounts of Cú Chulainn’s birth differ. In one, the god Lugh tells her in a dream that he has put his child in her womb; in another, the Ulstermen follow a flock of magical birds to a house where she gives birth, and Lugh is the host. Her husband was Sualtam mac Róich, and the boy was first named Sétanta.
Sources: Wikipedia, Behind the Name.
How popular is Dechtire in Ireland?
Dechtire is rare in Ireland. Since 1964, fewer than three baby girls a year have been registered with the name, so it doesn't appear in the Central Statistics Office's baby name tables.
Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 and its girls' names table.
Dechtire in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Dechtire, letter by letter.
- DDair, oak
- EEadhadh, aspen
- CColl, hazel
- HUath, hawthorn
- TTinne, holly
- IIodhadh, yew
- RRuis, elder
- EEadhadh, aspen
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Dechtire
Questions about Dechtire
- How do you pronounce Dechtire?
- Dechtire is pronounced DECK-tir-ra, with three syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Dechtire mean?
- Dechtire, also written Deichtine, is the name of the mother of the hero Cú Chulainn in Irish legend; the meaning of the name is unknown.
- Is Dechtire a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Dechtire is a girl's name.
- Is Dechtire a rare name?
- Yes. Fewer than three girls a year are registered as Dechtire in Ireland, too few to appear in the Central Statistics Office's tables.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA60 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Wikipedia and Behind the Name. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com