Cassandra Name Meaning: Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

What Does Cassandra Mean?

Cassandra is a feminine name derived from the Greek girl’s nameKassandra. The name Cassandra in Greek translates to “shining upon man” or “excelling over men.”

What is the Origin of the Name Cassandra?

Cassandra originates from Greek Mythology. Cassandra was the daughter of Priam, the last king of Troy, and his wife, Hecuba ⁽¹⁾. In mythology, Cassandra was loved by the god Apollo. He promised to give her the power of prophecy as long as she complied with his desires.

After Cassandra refused the god, Apollo made sure that her prophecies would never be believed. Instead, she was worshipped as Alexandra in the tragedy of Agamemnon.

Origin languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, and German.

How Popular is the Name Cassandra?

According to Wikipedia, the name peaked in popularity in the United States in 1990 ⁽²⁾. A census states that over 7,000 girls named Cassandra were born that year. However, in 2021, only about 493 American girls were named Cassandra, making this name now rarer in the United States.

Cassandra was also a common name during the middle ages in England due to the popularity and belief in the Trojan War tales. Books like The Illiad and The Odyessy by Homer depicted Cassandra with beauty alongside heroes like Ajax. This name became rare after the Middle Ages but was revived in the late 20th century.

According to the Social Security Administration index, Cassandra was listed as the 650th most popular baby name for girls in the year 2020 ⁽³⁾.

How Do I Pronounce Cassandra?

According to Carnegie Mellon University, the phonetic spelling instructions state that Cassandra is pronounced “kah-SAN-druh” or “kuh-SAHN-druh”. These two pronunciations are interchangeable with this name.

Both of these pronunciations have an emphasis on the second syllable.

Is Cassandra a Boy or Girl Name?

Cassandra is traditionally a female name. However, some variations or other similar names could be used for males. The variation male name, Cassander, is the masculine form of Cassandra.

Variations of Cassandra

Cassandra has several name variations from languages and cultures all across the world. It has evolved and changed over thousands of years since the Ancient Greeks.

Some of the most common include:

• Cassandra (Romanian, Spanish)
• Cassandre (French)
• Cassondra
• Casondra
• Kassandra (English)
• Kasandra (English, Polish)
• Kassandra (Greek Mythology)

However, none of these names are as popular as the typical Cassandra. As a result, these variations show up less frequently.

Nicknames for Cassandra

Here is a list of common nicknames for Cassandra:

• Andrea
• Cass
• Cassi
• Cassie
• Casey
• Cassy
• Kassie
• Kassy
• Sandra
• Sandi
• Sandy
• Saundra

Even though just a few nicknames are named here, there are still dozens, if not hundreds, that can be thought of for the name Cassandra.

Similar Names to Cassandra

If you like the name Cassandra, you might also like other biblical girl names. There are a few names that are similar to Cassandra. Consider these while making your baby-naming decision:

• Carissa
• Clarissa
• Claudia
• Candace
• Celestia
• Calliope
• Chandra

Middle Names for Cassandra

If you want to name your child Cassandra, but aren’t quite sure what to use for their middle name, here are some options we’ve found:

• Eliora
• Lois
• Mae
• Maeve
• Rose
• Sloane
• Violet

Sibling Names for Cassandra

For mamas with kids named Cassandra and you want to find a name for her sibling, there are plenty of names that flow well.

For a brother:

• Benjamin
• Hector (Brother to Cassandra in Greek Mythology).
• Isaac
• Percy
• Reece
• Wyatt
• Zane

For a sister:

• Emily
• Hannah
• Hazel
• Helen (Helenus, fraternal twister sister of Cassandra in Greek Mythology).
• Lucy
• Sofia
• Scarlett

Famous People Named Cassandra

Many famous people share the same name. Consider these while making your baby-naming decision to give your daughter the chance to live up to her name:

• Cassandra Austen: English artist and elder sister of popular author Jane Austen.
• Cassandra Clare: American author.
• Cassandra Kelly: Athlete from New Zealand.
• Cassandra Potter: American curler.
• Cassie Scerbo: American actress, singer, and dancer.
• Cassandra Trenary: American ballet dancer.
• Cassandra Whitehead: American model and beauty pageant titleholder.
• Cassandra Wilson: American jazz singer.

Cassandra in Popular Culture

There have been several characters in pop culture that have been named Cassandra. Cassandra is a popular name to find in pop culture. Here are a few notable fictional Cassandras:

• Cassandra: One of the Jellicle cats in the musical “Cats.”
• Cassandra Ainsworth: A character from the television series “Skins.”
• Cassandra Cain: One of the Batgirls in the DC Comics Universe.
• Cassandra Cooper: An adoptive daughter of the Ingalls family on the show “Little House on the Prairie.”
• Cassandra Lang: Character in the Marvel Comics universe.
• Cassandra Nova: A Marvel supervillainess and the archenemy of Charles Xavier from the X-Men franchise.
• Cassandra Trelawney: Ancestor of Sybill Trelawney, a character from the Harry Potter series.

Cassandra FAQs

Here are some questions frequently asked by users about the name Cassandra.