Meaning & History
Etymology and Origin
Deina is a form of Dinah used in some versions of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint). The name Dinah itself means "judged" in Hebrew, derived from the root (din) meaning "to judge." According to Genesis, Dinah was the daughter of Jacob and Leah; her story of abduction by Shechem is recounted in Genesis 34. Deina thus carries the same biblical provenance, appearing as the Greek transliteration in early Christian manuscripts.
Linguistic and Cultural Context
In the Greek Septuagint, Hebrew names were often transliterated phonetically. Deina (Δεινά) represents the Greek adaptation of Dinah, preserving its original three-syllable structure (Dee-nah). This form is distinct from the more common Greek name Dina (Δίνα), which can also be a short form of longer names like Constantin. Deina remains closely tied to its biblical source and is rarely used outside religious or scholarly contexts.
Further Variants
Related names include Dina 1 (the spelling used in many languages) and Diná (Portuguese variant). While Deina is specifically associated with Greek Bible editions, Dinah has been used as an English given name since after the Protestant Reformation.
- Meaning: "Judged" (Hebrew root din)
- Origin: Hebrew, via Greek (Septuagint)
- Type: Biblical, given name
- Usage: Greek Bible versions