Given name · also Germanic
Griselda
Griselda is used as a given name. One German interpretation is “a gray-haired battlemaid; one who fights the dark battle.” Its derivation is not certain.
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “a gray-haired battlemaid; one who fights the dark battle.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Germanic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
Built from Old English *grīs (“gray”) + hild (“battle”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Griselda was in use during the Middle Ages.
Griselda through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,185
- 61 boys · 9,124 girls
- Most popular year
- 1993
- 307 babies
- 2025
- 47
- #3,309 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −3%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 47 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,309 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 3.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 307 in 1993. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (16). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 22,014 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Griselda’s family of names
In English usage, Griselda has a diminutive in Zelda. Griselda has a related form in Gricelda. Griselda has a related form in Grisel.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 23
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Griselda
- Griselda BlancoColombian drug baron (1943–2013)
- Griselda PollockBritish art historianborn 1949
- Griselda SicilianiArgentine actressborn 1978
- Griselda GambaroArgentine writer ( 1928-2026)
- Griselda ÁlvarezÁlvarez was Governor of the state of Colima from 1979 to 19851913–2009
- Griselda PascualCatalan mathematician1926–2001
- Griselda GonzálezSpanish long-distance runner of Argentine descentborn 1965
- Griselda BáthoryRelative of the King of Poland1569–1590
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Griselda, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Alisha
Alisha is a feminine given name from Germanic.
>99% girls
Ria
“from the river's mouth”
>99% girls
Annika
“a woman graced with God's favor”
>99% girls
Trier
Trier is a surname from German, ultimately from Gaulish. It is used in English and German.
>99% girls
Karlie
“a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Rund
Rund is a surname from German.
>99% girls
Grismore
Grismore is a surname from German.
—
Gruenewald
Gruenewald is a surname from German.
—