Name of the Week

 

An underused Shakespearean name with a regal quality 
and routes in Ancient Greek mythology.

 

Origin:

Shakespeare adapted the name Cressida from the Ancient Greek name Chryseis, meaning "daughter of Chryses." Ultimately Chryses derives from the Greek χρυσος (chrysos) meaning "golden".

Usage:

The name Cressida was coined by Shakespeare for his play Troilus and Cressida. He based the name on Chaucer's poem Troilus and Criseyde which itself was inspired by Criseida in Boccaccio's poem Il Filostrato. Both Criseyde and Creseide were based on the Greek mythological character Chryseis, a figure who appears in Homer's Illiad. The name has been used infrequently in Britain since the 17th century. One of the earliest examples is Cressida St John (also recorded as Cresset or Cressitt) whose birth is thought to have been around 1570. The name is listed on 3 women in the 1861 UK census, and 12 on the 1901 UK census.  The name has seen more frequent and consistant usage throughout the 20th century. Since 1996 the name has been used between 3 and 10 times every year -- giving it a rank below the Top 2000. In 2010 the name ranked #4688 with 4 births in England and Wales. It did not rank in Scotland.

Famous Bearers:

Literature: * In Homer's epic The Illiad Cryseis was captured by Agammenon for her great beauty. He was forced to release her when Apollo sent a plague in retribution.   * 12th century poet Benoit de Ste Moire created the story of Troilus, as an addition to the Greek myth, in Roman de Troie (c.1155). He used the name Briseida for Troilus' lover, confusing the characters Briseis and Chryseis. Boccaccio must have recognised the mistake when he changed the name to Criseida in  Il Filostrato (c.1340).  * In Chaucer's poem Troilus and Criseyde, Criseyde is a tracic character, torn from her love and led astray. They play was given a darker tone by Shakespeare in Troilus and Cressida (c.1602). Contemporary: * Cressida Bell (b.1959) is a British artist and designer.  * Cressida Campbell (b.1960) is an Australian artist.  * Cressida Cowell (b.1966) is a children's author.  * Cressida Heyes (b.1970) is a Canadian philosopher.  Other: * Cressida is a moon of Uranus. * The swallowtail butterfly has the genus name Cressida.

Variants:

Chryseis (Ancient Greek) Criseida (Boccacio) Criseyde (Chaucer)

Pronunciation:

CRES-i-də  [key]

Possible diminutives:

Cassie, Creeda, Creedy, Cressa, Cressy, Dessa, Didi, Sid, Sida, Sidra

Sibling Names:

Lucinda     Rosamund     Camilla     Perdita     Jocasta     Ophelia  Orlando     Ferdinand     Augustus     Julius     Evander     Tristan

Name Lists:

Upright Elegance   Astronomical   Shakespearean   Butterfly Names   Names of Roses

 

If you like Cressida you may also like:   Lavinia, Perpetua, Apollonia, Minerva, Leocadia, Evandne, Hestia, Portia, Xanthe, Ione

 

This post was revised July 2012.