Saskia

Saskia is a feminine name. There is some discrepancy as to the origins of the name. The name is often said to be of Dutch origin, which originally meant "a Saxon woman" (alteration of "Saxia"). However, the name Saskia is thought by some to be of Slavic origin meaning "protector of mankind". It has also been suggested that the name is of Danish origin and meant "valley of light".

Notable bearers of this name include:

• Saskia van Uylenburgh (born 1612), Dutch model and wife of the famous Dutch painter Rembrandt
• Saskia Bartusiak (born 1982), football player
• Saskia Burmeister (born 1985), Australian actress
• Saskia Clark, a British sailor
• Saskia Howard Clarke, a contestant on UK Big Brother in 2005
• Saskia de Brauw (born 1981), Dutch artist and model
• Saskia de Coster (born 1976), writer
• Saskia de Jonge (born 1986), swimmer
• Saskia Elemans (born 1977), cyclist
• Saskia Estupinan, doctor
• Saskia Fischer, a German actress
• Saskia Garel (born 1977), actress
• Saskia Hamilton (born 1967), American poet
• Saskia Hampele, an Australian actress
• Saskia Hölbling, an Austrian choreographer and dancer
• Saskia Holmkvist (born 1971), artist
• Saskia Kosterink (born 1984), softball player
• Saskia Laroo, a Dutch jazz musician
• Saskia Linssen (born 1970), Dutch model and actress
• Saskia Mulder (born 1973), Dutch actress and younger sister of Karen Mulder
• Saskia Noort (born 1967), author
• Saskia Olde Wolbers (born 1971), video artist
• Saskia Ozinga, an environmental and social activist
• Saskia Ozols, artist
• Saskia Rao-de Haas (born 1971), Dutch cellist based in Delhi, India
• Saskia Reeves, British actress
• Saskia Rosendahl, German actress
• Saskia Sassen (born 1947), sociologist
• Saskia Loretta van Erven Garcia, a Dutch-Colombian female fencer
• Saskia van Hintum (born 1970), Dutch volleyball player
• Saskia van Rijswijk (born 1960), Dutch Muay Thai champion and actress
• Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642), wife of famous Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn
• Saskia Wickham (born 1967), British actress

Fictional characters

• Saskia Duncan, a character in EastEnders
• Saskia the Dragonslayer, a character from the video game The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
• Saskia, a character from Roman Payne's novel , The Wanderess'
• Saskia Duncan, a character in Australian TV drama "Dance Academy"
• Aife, a character for the series Lost Girl used the name Saskia in order to hide her identity and get close to Bo, the main character.

See also

• 461 Saskia, an asteroid
• Noah and Saskia, a children's television program
• Saskia & Serge, a Dutch vocal duo