Miss America Brings New Meaning to the Name Caressa
In case you missed it, Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron was crowned Miss America 2010 on Saturday night in Las Vegas. We did a little double take when we heard the wholesome college student's name. Really? Caressa?
The name Caressa is an elaboration on the word "caress," styled into a feminine name on the model of Vanessa and Carissa. There's plenty of history to this sort of girl's name -- Darlene, for example, is "darling" reshaped like Arlene and Marlene. Caressa is a rare name, but reached a modest peak during the '80s-'90s heyday of Carissa and Vanessa. Miss Cameron was born in 1988.
So far so good. The trick is that the "caress" angle has made Caressa far more common among...err..."adult entertainers" than the general public. Exotic dancers choose their stage names carefully for professional impact. Two of the favorite styles are pleasure-oriented word names like Heaven, and lacy, ultra-feminine names like Cassandra. Caressa gives you both in one.
But now that name takes center stage in the person of a wholesome college student, a symbol of the All-American girl. It may never be the same...in a good way.
What do you think of the name Caressa? Can you think of other names that have crossed the line from steamy to staid or vice versa?
--L.W. and J.B.
Comments
Interesting!
There was a Caresse in my high school. She went by Carrie.
I had no idea that was the origin of the name Darlene! I like that the connection is a little more subtle. For me it's hard say Caressa without thinking of the word "caress." Darling/Darlene isn't as readily apparent.
That's interesting -- because I'm finding Caressa's in the Census from 1870-1930 born in Ireland, Italy, Wales, and Germany ... so, this name strikes me as old-fashioned/romantic more than anything else.
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