Kassia

Meaning & origin

Kassia is a rare feminine name in the United States, first recorded in 1967. As of 2025, it ranks 4,067 with approximately 1 in 45,922 newborn girls receiving the name. Its peak in popularity occurred in 2025, and its trajectory has remained stable over recent decades. The name appears most frequently in California. Though its exact origins are debated, Kassia is likely a variant of Cassia, a spice name derived from the cinnamon-like bark of the Cinnamomum tree, or a feminization of the Roman family name Cassius. The name carries a historical echo through the 9th-century Byzantine poet and abbess Kassia, one of the few female composers of liturgical music in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Despite its ancient associations, Kassia remains a distinctive and uncommon choice in modern America, favored by parents seeking a melodic, scholarly name with subtle botanical roots.

Kassia is most often considered a variant of Cassia, the name of a spice derived from a tree, related to cinnamon. It may also be a feminization of the Roman family name Cassius, possibly meaning 'hollow' or 'empty'. The name gained some historical prominence through the 9th-century Byzantine nun and poet Kassia, one of the few known female composers of Byzantine chant. In modern use, Kassia remains rare in the United States, with a small but steady number of births each year.