Cassia??? Other similar girls names help please

[milkhoarder]

DH is obsessed with the came Cassia. What does everyone else think? We had Cassius on our middle names list for DS2 (not brave/cool enough for it as a first name). He has a very specific taste in names which has made naming our boys very difficult, but we are finding naming a girl even harder. I don't think I have a 'style' I just like what I like, I think.

He also likes Cordelia, Maxima and Valeria. I don't hate any of them but they sound a bit pretentious and I'd worry about the judgement of others honestly - we don't live in a particularly 'cool' or affluent area where people use all sorts of unusual names. Children in our son's school are mostly Amelia, Harper, Olivia, Grace, Millie/Lily/Tilly, Oliver, Isaac, Harrison, Harry, Jack, etc.

I like June and Maggie (maybe Magdalena? DH would never go for just Maggie or Margaret). I can't seem to really like any others, which is unhelpful.

Boys names we liked were Magnus, Raphael, Victor, Conrad, Oswin, Bram, Laurence, Leander, Cassius, Aurelius. DH also fought hard for Casimir. I liked Asa.

I think its use as a name is probably more as a feminine of Cassius - a Roman family name - like Augusta, Julia etc

The other thing about a cassia tree is that it is also known as a “golden shower tree” which doesn’t conjure up such great images 😱

I love Cassia. It sounds like he likes names with a Roman root, would possibly go classical in general. What about these (yes, I do know all the stories behind all of them but that wouldn't put me off!)

Artemis
Ariadne
Iris
Juno
Athene or Athena
Minerva
Damaris

I think Calista and Aurora have already been suggested. Clara, Cleo, Stella, Hester, Helen or Helena, Georgia or Georgina.

Well almost all your choices, boy or girl (apart from perhaps Maggie if used as a given name rather than Magdalene/Magdalena) are very different from the style of names at your DC’s school so you/they would have to accept that. I still really like a lot of them though- especially Bram and Asa on your boys list and Cassia.

Pretentiousness is in the eye of the beholder but it does seem to mostly be said about longer/multi-syllable, Classical or literary origin names. And although it does have links to Classical Cassius, I think Cassia is often seen more as a nature name like Willow, Ivy or Hazel (or I guess Juniper, Bryony or Jessamine since Cassia is a rarer name like those). Having said all that though, names like Ophelia and Aurora are now Top 100 and others like Aurelia are hovering just outside it - so really how are your choices like Cordelia or Cassia that different imo?

And I don’t think “cheap cinnamon” - I think pretty tree with lovely pink or yellow flowers (there are several varieties). I also think it’s a pretty, elegant sounding name and a nice mix of the commonplace (nn Cassie is more widely used and Cassia fits in style with all the common -ia names like Sophia etc) and less well known.

I personally tend to be drawn to slightly more traditional/classic and well known names along the lines of Juliet, Claudia, Antonia etc (I don’t care about how popular a name is as such, as long as it has a steady history of use and isn’t trendy) but I still think Cassia is lovely.

Such a lovely response above!

Thank you for all of this. I appreciate the insight.

Our two sons have slightly different names to the other children at school, but not that out there (both have shortenings that could also be shortened versions of much more popular/traditional names - one child uses the shortened version, the other doesn't). I think my preference in names would be more similar to what you're drawn to.

My first thoughts were Saskia and Calista, but they've already been mentioned.

Or Cressida?

Kezia.

"The name Kezia (also spelled Keziah) is of Hebrew origin, derived from the word "qetsiah", which means "cassia" or "cinnamon". In biblical times, cassia was a fragrant spice tree, and the name Kezia is associated with beauty and fragrance. Kezia is also the name of one of Job's three daughters in the Old Testament. "

Some lovely names on this thread!

I like Cassia and similar vibe names like

Calla (type of Lily)
Nadia
Tamara
Luella
Lydia
Leonie
Cora
Coralie

Kezia?

Kezia
or
Cosima?

I went to school with a Cassia and have taught a Cassia. Perfectly nice normal name, easy to pronounce, but not common.

I much prefer Valerie to Valeria. The latter sounds like a disease. I really don’t like Maxima. It’s asking for trouble with nicknames. Cordelia is fine.

There is a strong Roman / Latin feel! Flavia? Octavia?

Cadence

I love Cassia. ❤️

Its gorgeous, I also like Kezia too but the only one i know ALWAYS gets her name mispronounced - so Cassia may be a safer option.

I adore the name Cassia I think it's so pretty and unique but not weird.

Cassia is really pretty.

Nerissa

Maxima

Just no. FGS are you trying to name a gladiator

Cassie is a lovely name.

Cassia is a little pretentious imo.

Kezia Dugdale hasn't had any issues over the years, tbh.

Carys

What about Kasia?...pronounced Casha. Polish diminutive of Katherine

Cassia is lovely and so are the other choices of your husband.

Some random others:
Venetia
Sorrel
Tabitha
Florentina
Mirabel
Maud
Laurel
Clio
Frieda
Sybil
Ophelia

I knew a Cassia and people assumed it was pronounced Casha a lot, which she found annoying.

As alternatives, Calista, Nerissa, Juniper, Elska, Calliope, Lyra, Eliana, Ilana, Carina (love that one), Briony, Celia.