Demelza as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Demelza

What is the meaning of the name Demelza ?

The baby name Demelza is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced də-MEL-zə (US), deh-MEL-zah (UK) — IPA: /dəˈmɛl.zə/ or /dɛˈmɛl.zə/.

Demelza is Cornish in Origin.

Demelza is a Cornish place-name adopted as a given name, taken from a small hamlet in Cornwall. Its exact etymology is debated; it likely preserves older Cornish elements, with proposals ranging from combinations meaning “bare hill” to “fort on a hill,” but no single derivation is universally accepted. The name is often understood as evocative of the rugged Cornish landscape rather than tied to a precise lexical meaning.

As a forename, Demelza came to prominence in the mid-20th century after Winston Graham used it for his heroine Demelza Carne in the Poldark novels (the second book, 1946, bears her name). Usage rose in Britain with the 1970s BBC adaptation and revived during the 2015–2019 series, especially in Cornwall and across England & Wales, while remaining rare elsewhere. Occasional variant spellings include Demelsa. Nicknames and short forms include Demi, Mel, Elza, and Zel.