Cassie

Originally a diminutive of Cassandra or occasionally Catherine, tracing back to the Greek mythological figure cursed to speak true prophecies that no one believed. It appeared as an independent entry in American birth ledgers as early as 1880. By the late twentieth century, parents routinely bypassed the longer root name to register it directly.

A Cassie is firmly situated in the era of corduroy and Saturday morning cartoons, having crested in 1982. The name bypasses the tragedy of mythological Cassandra in favor of brisk, approachable friendliness. It suggests someone who kept a cassette tape collection in shoe boxes and mastered four-square on playground blacktop. Over half of all living bearers belong to the Millennial cohort.