Melisande

French form of Millicent, German

"strong in work"

Melisande Origin and Meaning

The name Melisande is a girl's name of German, French origin meaning "strong in work".

This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized tribute to an Aunt Melissa or Melanie.

Pelleas and Melisande is a play by Maeterlinck, the inspiration for the Debussy opera of the same name. In modern times, Melisande became a princess via the Rankin and Bass film The Flight of Dragons. And Broadway buffs might remember Melisande as the name the main character Ella Peterson takes in the musical Bells are Ringing. The name of the beautiful red-haired character on Game of Thrones is spelled Melisandre.

Popularity of the name Melisande

• 1917 Nameberry 2025

20 Names Similar to Melisande

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Melisande.

• Fiorella
• Sylvana
• Yvaine
• Verena
• Amarantha
• Silvana
• Amalthea
• Cybele
• Thalassa
• Nerissa
• Eithne
• Delphinia
• Nerida
• Arianwen
• Anthea
• Lysandra
• Diantha
• Gwyneira
• Ravenna
• Ophira

The name Melisande in Pop Culture

• Mélisande character in "Pelléas and Mélisande," Symbolist play by Maurice Maeterlinck
• Princess Melisande character in film The Flight of Dragons
• Melisande Zuleika Dobson's maid in the book by Max Beerbohm (1911)
• Melisande Shahrizai noblewoman who plots to dethrone the queen of Terre d'Ange in Jacqueline Carey's 'Kushiel' series.
• Melisande Scott alias of Ella Peterson in musical 'Bells are Ringing'
• Melisande character in The Golden Basket by Ludwig Bemelmans
• "Melisande " short story by E. Nesbit
• "Melisande " painting of a woman in red by Marianne Stokes