Part Cordelia, part Melisande, Corisande marries
French elegance and medieval romance.
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Origin: |
Corisande originates from medieval chivalric romance, though little is known of its origin. The name appears in the exploits of Amadís of Gaul in which Corisande is the ruler of Gravesande and beloved of Florestan, half-brother of the hero Amadis. The first printed version of the work dates back to 1508: a Spanish version written by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, who claimed to have emended and corrected corrupted forms of the Portuguese originals. Mentions of the character Amadis, however, date back to the mid-14th century, though it is unclear whether Corisande (a relatively minor character in the prose) was in existence at that time. The first element looks most likely to be inspired by the Latin cor "heart." The second element is unknown, though K.M.Sheard puts forward the tantalising theory that it could be a contracted form of the Latin sanandus "healing." In a similar vein, some connect the name to the Spanish corazon "heart." A more basic origin could be that the Corisande was an adaptation, based on the Latin cor, of Melisande, which was already in use by that time. |
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Usage: |
The tale of Amadis was a hit throughout Europe and did have an influence on the names used by noble families. Corisande never caught on much, but it did gain some fame when it was adopted by Diana de Gramont (nee d'Andouins), Countess of Guiche (1554-1621), the mistress and faithful partner of Henry IV of France. Renowned for her beauty and culture, she was often called by the name "La Belle Corisande." The chivalric tale of Amadís of Gaul was turned into a tragédie en musique in 1684 by Jean-Baptiste Lully, and here we find that Corisande's character was given greater prominence in the tale. The de Gramont family continued to use the name through the centuries, most likely because they claimed descent from "La Belle Corisande" through her son from marriage, Antonin. Notable bearers include author Élisabeth de Gramont (1875–1954), full name Antoinette Corisande Élisabeth, and Corisande Armandine Sophie Léonie de Gramont (1782–1865) who became the ward of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. It is most likely thanks to the latter Corisande, that Benjamin Disrali came to use the name in his novel Lothair (1870). Corisande's son, Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville served under Disraeli as Lord Steward of the Household. His sister and daughter were both named Corisande also, and it is quite likely that Disraeli became more familiar with the name through this connection. Lothair was a huge hit for Disraeli. The first addition of two thousand copies sold out in two days, followed quickly by seven more copies. The mania that insued led to a plethora of Lothair-inspired namesakes, from ships to perfumes, with the names Lothair and Corisande the most popular. Consequently, most of the Corisandes born in England and Wales in the 19th century date from the publication of the novel, as we can see from the number of girls registered with the name each decade. 1850s: 1 Though the name's usage has been consistant, its rarity means that it has not ranked in the annual England and Wales statistics. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Diana d'Andouins "La Belle Corisande" (1554–1621), mistress of Henry IV of France. Literature: * Corisande, a character in the medieval prose Amadís of Gaul. |
| Variants: |
Corisanda |
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Pronunciation: |
kor-ee-SOND [key] |
| Possible diminutives: |
Cori, Cora, Cassie, Cossie, Cindy, Candy, Sandy |
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Sibling Names: |
Amandine Henriette Eglantine Guinevere Melusine Seraphine |
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Name Lists: |
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Thanks to Isabelle and Winter for requesting this post.
