Griselda
About Griselda
Griselda is a famous folklore figure, noted for her patience and obedience. Her story has been told by Petrarch, Chaucer, Boccaccio and set to music by Scarlatti, Vivaldi and Massenet.
In the most famous telling of her story, Griselda's husband tests her fidelity and obedience three times. Once at the birth of her daughter, whom he asks Griselda to give up to be put to death. Griselda agrees. Her husband asks the same of their second child, a son. Again, Griselda agrees. Finally, her husband renounces her to marry another. Uncomplainingly, Griselda leaves. Eventually her husband reveals that he was testing her, and surprises her by showing her her alive and well children and taking her back in.
Griselda is Anglicized as Grisell or Grizell. Zelda makes an attractive nickname option.
Pronounced grih-SEL-duh.
As of October 2026, Griselda ranked #3309 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #653 in 1981.
Editor's take: The name Griselda is a girl's name of German origin meaning "grey battle".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #3,055 | 55 | 30.8 |
| 2015 | #3,551 | 44 | 24.6 |
| 2016 | #3,074 | 54 | 30.5 |
| 2017 | #3,578 | 43 | 24.9 |
| 2018 | #3,633 | 42 | 24.7 |
| 2019 | #3,517 | 44 | 26.2 |
| 2020 | #3,419 | 45 | 27.8 |
| 2021 | #4,047 | 36 | 21.9 |
| 2022 | #3,554 | 44 | 26.8 |
| 2023 | #3,195 | 51 | 31.8 |
| 2024 | #3,592 | 43 | 26.5 |
| 2025 | #3,309 | 47 | 29.2 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Griselda.
- Morgane
- Hagar
- Christabel
- Rosetta
- Peninah
- Hadassah
- Dominica
- Federica
- Clarinda
- Bathsheba
- Lucetta
- Fernanda
- Karlotta
- Laverne
- Candida
- Veronique
- Marcelle
- Eléonore
- Rafaela
- Clementina
Griselda on lists
Famous Griseldas
- Griselda Blanco
Colombian drug lord
- Griselda Gambaro
b. 1928, Argentina's most celebrated playwright
- Griselda Siciliani
Argentinian actress
- Griselda Greaves
wife of English novelist Alan Garner
Griselda in pop culture
- Griselda
perfect wife whose patience was sorely tried by her husband in "The Decameron" (1350)
- "Griselda
" opera by Alessandro Scarlatti based on The Decameron
- Griselda Blackwood
character from TV's "The Worst Witch"
- Griselda
character in "The Cuckoo Clock" (1877) by Mrs Molesworth
- Griselda Grantly (later Lady Dumbello)
character in Anthony Trollope's Chronicles of Barsetshire series
- Barbara Griselda
the hideous Countess Gruffanuff (wife to Jenkins) in Thackeray's "The Rose and the Ring" (1855)
- Griselda
minor character in the video game Odin Sphere
- Griselda
minor character in Sword Art Online
- "Auntie Griselda
" song by The Monkees
- "Griselda
" song by Yo La Tengo
- Griselda
a dryad in Marissa Burt's "Storybound"