Perdita - Name Meaning and Origin

The boy's and girl's name Perdita \p(e)-rdi-ta, per-dita\ is pronounced per-DEE-tah, PER-di-tah. It is of Latin origin, and its meaning is "lost". Shakespeare created this name for a young heroine in "The Winter's Tale". As a baby, Perdita was left to die because her father mistakenly believed her to be another man's child. She was rescued by a shepherd, who called her Perdita because she was lost. Though she was later wooed by a prince, their marriage was forbidden because of her supposed lack of pedigree. When her origins were discovered, a happy ending ensued.

Baby names that sound like Perdita are Bertita and Beradette. Other similar baby names are Perlita and Perita.

Perdita is a very rare female first name and a very rare surname (source: 1990 U.S. Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the girl's name Perdita. Click here to compare Perdita with related baby names.