From the Greek Κασσανδρα (Kassandra)
, which possibly meant "shining upon man", derived from κεκασμαι (kekasmai)
"to shine" and ανηρ (aner)
"man" (genitive ανδρος
). In Greek myth
Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam
and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo
, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.
In the Middle Ages this name was common in England due to the popularity of medieval tales about the Trojan War. It subsequently became rare, but was revived in the 20th century.