Cassandre

Cassandre is a feminine given name used in French-speaking contexts, derived from the Greek name Cassandra. The form Cassandre is common in Francophone regions and may be used as an equivalent or variant of Cassandra in other languages. In modern usage, it can appear as both a given name and a surname.

In Greek mythology, Cassandra (the origin of the French form Cassandre) is the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. A priestess of Apollo, she was granted the gift of prophecy but was cursed so that no one would believe her forecasts. Her warnings about disasters and the fall of Troy become central features of the myth, shaping later literary and artistic depictions of doom and foreknowledge.

The name is notably associated with Adolphe Mouron, a French painter and poster designer who worked under the professional name Cassandre. Born in 1901 and active mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, he became a leading figure in Art Deco graphic design. Cassandre’s posters are recognized for bold geometric forms, stark contrasts, elongated figures, and dynamic diagonal compositions. His work helped define modern advertising aesthetics, with famous pieces created for brands such as Dubonnet and Cinzano and for various international campaigns.

Beyond mythology and the designer, Cassandre remains in contemporary use as a French given name. It is sometimes used in literature and media as a character name and is occasionally encountered in non-French contexts in its Cassandra form. The name retains associations with prophecy, artistry, and a distinctly early 20th-century modernist sensibility.