Dermot

Dermot is the Anglicized form of the Irish name Diarmaid (which also appears as the variant Diarmuid). While similar-looking names such as Jeremiah or Jeremy are sometimes used as English equivalents, Dermot is etymologically unrelated to them. In Irish, earlier forms include Diarmait and Diarmuit, and Anglicized spellings also include Dermod and Dermody (the latter also a surname derived via the patronymic Mac Diarmata). Diminutives of Dermot include Derry.

Etymology

The exact etymology of Diarmaid is debated. It may derive from the Old Irish elements dí meaning "without" and either airmit "injunction" or airmait "envy," the latter yielding a possible meaning of "without envy." Because of the lack of a definitive etymology, various folk interpretations have arisen.

Historical and Legendary Context

Dermot (through Diarmaid) has deep roots in Irish mythology. In the Ulster Cycle and in the well-known legend The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne, Diarmaid is a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Gráinne. The story tells how Gráinne falls in love with Diarmaid and elopes with him to escape her arranged marriage to the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. Their ensuing pursuit by Fionn is a classic Irish tragic romance.

The name was also borne by several ancient Irish kings, attesting to its early royal use historically. In medieval times, the Anglicized Dermot became common among the Hiberno-Norman nobility.

Distribution and Variants

From Ireland the name spread to Scotland, where the Scottish Gaelic forms include Diarmad and Dermid, and to the wider English-speaking world via Irish emigration. Variants of the name include Diarmaid and Diarmuid (Irish Mythology), Diarmait (Old Irish), and in Scotland, Dermid and Diarmad. The surname McDermot(t) or Mac Diarmata (meaning "son of Dermot") is patronymic and common in Ireland.

• Meaning: Possibly "without envy" or of debated origin
• Origin: Irish (created from Diarmaid)
• Type: Anglicized form of an existing Irish name
• Usage: Irish, Historically Scottish, English-speaking countries