Unique Saint Name – Casilda
| 9 April 2010 | Filed under Baby Names, Girl Names, Name Etymologies, Unique Baby Names |
Today (April 9) is the feast day of St. Casilda, a Spanish saint with a perplexing name.
Several books and websites claim that her name means “of the home” or “dwelling place.” This may be because Casilda resembles the Spanish word casa, meaning “house.” It’s an interesting theory, but I think there’s a better explanation.
St. Casilda was born during the 10th century, not long after the Visigoths ruled the Iberian peninsula (5th-8th centuries). The Visigoths left behind a number of Germanic names that later became Spanish names, such as Alfonso, Fernando and Rodrigo. It’s not hard to believe that Casilda is part of this group, especially when you consider how many -ilda names (e.g. Brunilda, Clotilda, Matilda) have Germanic roots. In these names, the second element comes from the Germanic word hild, meaning “battle.” (I’m not sure what the first element of Casilda might mean.)
But my explanation is a theory as well. The only thing we know for certain about Casilda is that no one knows where it comes from, or what it means. So the most accurate definition for Casilda would actually have to be “origin uncertain.”
P.S. Another saint with a curious name is St. Fursey.
My Spanish name dictionary has Casilda as having a Germanic origin meaning ‘combatant’ but I don’t know how accurate that is. Unfortunately the book does not give any original parts or forms of the name to help figure out how they derived that. In my German name dictionary I can’t find it or anything similar.
Ooh, I love Casilda. I’m not Spanish or Catholic, so I named my ipod after her… don’t tell me I’m the only name enthusiast who names inanimate objects.
This a absolutely gorgeous painting of Santa Casilda.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Santacasilda.jpg
@CN Heidelberg – Thanks for looking it up!
@Julie – I have a rocking chair named Clyde. :)
I have always liked Casilda. I think she would make a great, traditional full name for Casey or Cassie.
i have named my house “casilda” – i really love it !
St. Casilda was a Saracen/ Moorish princess who converted from Islam to Catholicism. Her father, a Muslim, was the King of Toledo. Her mother is believed to have been a Berber. Casilda had blond hair, as many Berbers do. According to a Spanish site, Casilda’s Arabic name was “casida” which the Spanish article says means “to sing” in Arabic. (http://www.mercaba.org/SANTORAL/Vida/05/05-09_S_casilda_de_toledo.htm)
@Marie-Jacqueline – We know a few basic things about Casilda (e.g. location, time period) but we don’t know anything specific (e.g. hair color).
Well, actually there is quite a bit of information available, especially in Spanish. This includes Spanish writings summarizing very old documents. My comment was based on the writings of Elizabeth Borton de Trevino who did a lot of primary research on Casilda and went to her sanctuary in Briviesca. According to Borton, there is a reliquary there with a tress of Casilda’s hair and it is blond. I’ve posted about this on my site, Les Fleurs de Marie-Jacqueline, and will be following up with additional posts.
Most of the information we have on Casilda is legend, not fact.
Elizabeth Borton de Trevino’s St. Casilda of the Rising Moon is a fictionalized account of the saint.
Sorry I didn’t check back for your return comment sooner. I suppose you haven’t actually read Borton’s book. She has an Afterword to the novel in which she tells what she learned in her research for the book. Because of my interest in St. Casilda and medieval Spain in general, I’ve started a new blog addressing these matters. It’s called Casilda and the Cross. I hope you’ll visit from time to time and follow along as I sort out the oral tradition, historical fact, art, poetry, and drama related to St. Casilda. It’s very rich.
I have not read the book.
But…hair color?
I have yet to see any other source claim to know the color of St. Casilda’s hair.
So I’d be wary about her book. (Any part of it.) Hopefully she included a list of legitimate sources.
WoW I LOVE IT! MY NAME IS CASILDA SERIOUSLY <3 iM GLAD TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT MY NAME NOW THAT IM RESEARCHING ON IT AND TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE IT ORIGINATED ! I KINDA DIDNT LIKE MY NAME DUE TO ITS RARITY BUT ITS COOL TO KNOW I HAVE PEOPLE NAMING IPODS AND HMS AFTER ME LOL:) IF ANY MORE INFORMATION ON HISTORICAL FACTS COMMENT MORE THNKS