Briseis

Girl Names
1

[name_m]Hi[/name_m] everyone!

I’ve recently fallen in love with the name Briseis, and would like to know how do you guys feel about it!

It’s a mythological greek name. Briseis was a greek princess of Lyrnessus, captured during [name_m]Achilles[/name_m]’ assault and his love interest in the Iliad. She remained with [name_m]Achilles[/name_m] until his death, and took it upon herself to prepare his body to the afterlife. It could be shortened to the lovely [name_f]Bree[/name_f], and is very distinctive yet rooted.

It’s pronounced [name_f]Bree[/name_f]-say-ease (as in the end of the name [name_f]Louise[/name_f]). It can also be spelled Briseïs, and means daughter of Briseus. She’s portrayed by [name_f]Rose[/name_f] [name_m]Byrne[/name_m] in 2004’s [name_m]Troy[/name_m] and is the one to kill Agamemnon.

Quoting wikipedia (I know, I’m lazy): "According to Book 1 of the Iliad, when Agamemnon was compelled by Apollo to give up his own woman, Chryseis, he demanded Briseis as compensation. This prompted a quarrel with Achilles that culminated with Briseis’ delivery to Agamemnon and Achilles’ protracted withdrawal from battle. His absence had disastrous consequences for the Greeks. Despite Agamemnon’s grand offers of treasure and women, he did not return to the fray until the death of Patroclus.

In medieval romances, starting with the Roman de Troie, Briseis becomes Briseida and is the daughter of Calchas. She loves and is loved by Troilus and then Diomedes. She is later confused with Chryseis and it is under variations of that name that the character is developed further, becoming Shakespeare’s Cressida."

It was also the name of 2 legendary Thoroughbred racehorses, one mare in [name_f]England[/name_f] (1804–1824) and one filly in Australia (1837), both having won great prizes. They are often considered the greatest thoroughbred mares ever foaled in their respective countries. I’m a horse lover and discovered the name searching for the australian filly. =)

It is also the name of [name_u]Reggie[/name_u] [name_m]Bush[/name_m]'s daughter (I discovered it while googling the name, the starbaby Briseis is lovely, and her mother is also distinctively named - Lilit). I found out that he is [name_u]Kim[/name_u] Kardashian’s ex, and I think he did better than [name_u]Kim[/name_u] in the naming department =P

2

I think it’s a lovely name! Has a great, ancient but not overly complicated sound to it. There would be spelling and pronunciation issues obviously, but I think it has such a unique and appealing sound that it would be worth the correcting – and being someone that has to correct people now and again with prn and always with spelling, it has become pretty normal for me. I don’t get all up in arms about it.

3

Ooh, very nice. I would probably use it in the middle, just for pronunciation (I say it brih-[name_m]SAY[/name_m]-iss) but a lovely, literary choice.

4

It has a great sound and I like [name_f]Bree[/name_f], but I’ve always disliked the character of Briseis…kind of anti-feminist significance to her whole shtick in my opinion. But that’s just my interpretation of the Iliad. It’d be really cool to meet a Briseis, actually. Or Briseida.

5

Very lovely name!

6

It’s a lovely name

I’ve only heard it as ‘bri-[name_m]SAY[/name_m]-iss’, which is how it’s pronounced in the movie. The 1st syllable is ‘bri’ like brick and the last syllable is ‘iss’ like kiss

Here’s a thread with the proper pronunciations of Greek names
https://nameberry.com/nametalk/threads/102999-How-to-pronounce-Greek-Mythological-Names?highlight=briseis

7

Great name! So much history. It’s still relatively uncommon and I would love to meet someone with the name.

8

Personally I think its too much of a tongue twister, but it is pretty cool. Its history is really cool, though, I can see why you like it!

9

I’d be excited to meet a Briseis, but I don’t care for the name myself. When we discussed it in English class, my teacher prn. the name brye-see-iss which I found unattractive. In addition, the character is such an object that I find it depressing. It doesn’t seem like a great namesake to me. But I admire its uniqueness, anyway.

10

I find it very beautiful. It’s been one of my favourites since I was little.

11

I think it’s lovely. Like previous posters said, pronunciation might be an issue. Without your guidance, I would have said “brih-[name_m]SAY[/name_m]-iss” instead of bree-say-ease. I think that’s because the bree-say-ease pronunciation feels like the emphasis it on each syllable which makes me say it more slowly . Wiki seems to think the pronunciation is brye-see-iss–if that affects your opinion at all. I like it regardless of how you choose to pronounce it, so it’s just a matter of how you feel about having to correct people all the time.

12

One of my favorites. I think there are a lot of old names that feel modern, and I’m not sure why they aren’t more popular. I’ve always thought this about [name_f]Evadne[/name_f] as well. Good find on the thoroughbred connection, I like that. We raised horses when I was growing up, and had a gorgeous (and very spirited) thoroughbred mare. Beautiful horse.

13

It’s a great name that I like a lot, though I’m not as fond of [name_f]Bree[/name_f].

14

It is a great name, but I have difficulties getting over her story. [name_u]Love[/name_u] interest is a nice euphemism. But she was a war prize, an object and although that was the way things were back then, it still bothers me. [name_f]Persephone[/name_f] was taken unwillingly, but at least she became his wife, and not his play thing. Plus she left once a year to visit her mother, thus bringing about [name_f]Spring[/name_f]. But Briseis didn’t do anything like that, so its rather anti-feminist.

15

OOOOHHHH! So excited to find other people who love this name! [name_f]My[/name_f] mom used to read my brother and I a children’s version of the Iliad when we were younger. [name_f]My[/name_f] brother wants to use the name [name_m]Ajax[/name_m] FYI.

If I ever named a girl [name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f], her middle name would be Briseis

[name_f]Elisabeth[/name_f] Briseis just sounds right!