Mildred

Meaning

The excerpts give Mildred as an Old English name, with Charnock glossing it as "mild in counsel." Yonge links it to the older form Mildthryth/Mildreda and explains that the second element is not "red" in the modern sense but the old feminine element thryth, meaning something like strength, command, or threat; the popular idea that it means "mild speech" is presented as a later misunderstanding. In short, the name suggests gentle but forceful character rather than a literal modern compound.

Origin

Fun fact

Yonge notes that Mildred was never entirely out of use and was later revived partly because people liked the idea that it meant 'mild speech.'