Looking for something more feminine than cowgirl Cassidy, but less elaborate than the tragic Cassandra? Here’s a nature name that just might suit.
Thanks to Laney for suggesting Cassia as Name of the Day.
First off, the Cass- family is made up of completely unrelated names, though two of them rose together in recent years. The Greek Cassandra, she of ancient myth, peaked at #49 in 1990 and stands at #284 today. The Gaelic surname Cassidy peaked at #99 in 1999, a few years after morning television’s Kathy Lee chose the appellation for Cody’s little sister. Today, she’s #228.
Cassia herself can claim at least three derivations, and just as many pronunciations. There’s:
- KAH shah;
- KAH see uh;
- kah SEE uh.
Parents choosing Cassia circa 2009 are probably thinking of the nature name. She’s more subtle than Willow or Sage. She’s less common, too – Cassia has never appeared in the US Top 1000.
Cassia cinnamon is an evergreen found in the Far East. The bark and buds alike are used as a spice. Technically, cassia is not true cinnamon. (That’s cinnamomum verum – also an evergreen.) But most of the cinnamon you’ll find in the US is actually cassia. (The good stuff is more readily available in Europe.)
Still, cassia is no fraud. She’s preferred for some recipes, where true cinnamon is a notch too sweet. And she’s just as ancient – Moses used cinnamon and cassia, as well as other spices, to anoint the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament. Job’s daughter was called Keziah – a Hebrew variant of cassia. (Some have speculated that modern American names like Keisha are derived from Keziah.)
The Chinese knew about cassia, too – as did the Ancient Greeks. In myth, it was one of the phoenix’s preferred materials for nest-building. And while two bucks will buy you a Cinnabon at any shopping mall today, back in Rome, cassia was pricey stuff. Ancient cookbooks mention it, as do temple rituals and medical guides.
But if Cassia’s status as an also-ran to cinnamon makes you nervous, there are two other derivations for the name:
- The Cassius family was a big deal in Ancient Rome. The Via Cassia was a significant part of the Roman road system; members of the family founded the city we now know as Lisbon. Saints wore the name, as did an American abolitionist – which is how boxer Cassius Clay ended up with the name he’d eventually shed to become known as Muhammad Ali;
- Spelled Kasia, it is the Polish equivalent of Kate – a diminutive of Katarzyna. Head to Warsaw or Gdansk, and you’ll meet plenty of women wearing the name.
There’s also a county in Idaho known as Cassia, named after the Cassia Creek. The creek, in turn, is thought to be named after James John Cazier, an early settler, or possibly the term cajeaux, described as a “peasant French” term for raft.
Overall, Cassia is an appealing rarity. She’s a possible short form for Cassandra or Katherine, but stands well on her own. Sassy nickname option Cassie makes her wearable for a child. She offers a nice balance of standing out and fitting in, too.
Oh, forgot to add that I tend to pronounce this CASH-uh.
Can’t believe I missed this, but I think she is quite cool and spunky. Kasia is way too common in my area, though in retrospect, it is a pretty name.
This name is actually surprisingly pretty to me — Definitely a name to suggest to those that love Cassidy and Cassandra, or Cash for a boy. I have to admit, ever since that one season of America’s Next Top Model, I’ve completely been hooked on the name Katarzyna. It’s one of those names that I absolutely freakin’ love, but that I’d never use in real life. Okay, maybe I’d use it in the middle name spot if my husband was Polish, since I do have a grandmother named Katherine.
I love Cassia. My little sister is named Cassandra, which is also a very pretty name, so I am thinking of calling a future daughter of mine Cassia to honor her. I would pronounce it Cass-ee-ah, like Cassie but with an a at the end. I’m partial to names with 3+ syllables for some reason.
I would probably call my daughter Cassia Evelina or Cassia Mary Elizabeth (Mary after my maternal grandmother and Elizabeth after Grandmom’s sister who goes by Betty. Evelina is after my late aunt Evelyn and a close friend I had in 8th grade.) Not sure on the nickname, since calling her Cassie might be confusing, especially if she ever meets my sister.
Kasia is ok. I had a friend in 6th grade who spelled it that way, but I personally hate the kah-sha pronunciation which is how she said it, so I prefer Cassia.
I haven’t been on here in a while since I have been really sick, and I am so happy to read this post, plus all the other ones I missed. Just in time for my birthday too (tommorrow).
I agree with Holey, the first way I’d pronounce it would be CASH-uh.
While I love the name Cassandra — which makes me think of Jane Austen and I Capture the Castle — I have not been a fan of Cassidy on girls ever since I first came across it being worn by the hero in a rather schmaltzy piece of historical romance I was reading (forgive me, I was barely a teen at the time). I can’t seem to like Cassia either — possibly because of it’s pronunciation problems. “KAH-shah” sounds too much like currency while the “KAH-see-uh”/”kah-SEE-uh” variants remind me of the electronic keyboard we had growing up (which we generally referred to by it’s make as “the Casia”).
That being said, it does appear to be an extremely wearable name, so parents — other than myself and my husband — are welcome to use it.
My first instinct is actually to pronounce it “cash-uh” or “cass-ee-uh.”
Cassia is not my style but it’s a fine name. However, I definitely lean toward the KAH see uh pronunciation (KAH shah is a food to me and kah SEE ah is awkward unless we’re talking Via Cassia or something like that). The multiple possible pronunciations might be a little bit of a burden for the wearer. In general, Cass- names don’t excite me, but they don’t irk me either.
May I suggest Clarice for NOTD? I’m trying to decide whether I prefer Clah-riss or Clah-reese and could do with an outside opinion! Thank you 🙂
That is a really pretty name. For once, a suggestion that doesn’t seem average or pretentious (to me, anyway). 😉 Nice!