"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet." Although Juliet's words might ring true even to this day (for certain situations, such as being a star-crossed lover), you as a future parent know how important it is to pick just the right name for your baby boy or baby girl. Let us help you find the perfect name for your baby by looking at the pages of our favorite Shakesperean novels.
Juliet states that names don't matter because it is the person inside that is the most important thing, but the name you choose for your baby is the name he will be using for the rest of his life. It will eventually define him and the people closest to him will forever associate his name with the kind of person he is.
The history of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare's birthday is in April. He was baptized on April 26, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and it assumed he was born a few days before this. What followed his birth is a life rich with words, plays, poems, sonnets and timeless entertainment that is still enjoyed thoroughly today. His collective works also include a cast of characters with a host of interesting, clever and beautiful names -- some of which he invented himself.
Choosing a name for your son or daughter may be inspired by a particular play that you've loved for many years, or perhaps a name just strikes you as just the right one. Maybe you have fond memories of your Shakespeare class in high school or college, or you attend summer Shakespeare fesitvals every year. So, what better way to start off a literary life than by picking a Shakespearan name?
Shakesperean girl names
Several female names, some of which are very popular today, were invented by Shakespeare himself. Consider Jessica (The Merchant of Venice) and Miranda (The Tempest) -- these names are very well-known and widely used, thanks to Shakespeare.
Some other names appearing in Shakespeare's works are:
Diana, Mariana, Violenta (All's Well that Ends Well)
Audrey, Celia, Rosalind (As You Like It)
valeria, Volumnia (Coriolanus)
Imogen (Cymbeline)
Gertrude, Ophelia (Hamlet)
Cordelia, Goneril, Regan (King Lear)
Francisca, Isabella (Measure for Measure)
Nerissa, Portia (Merchant of Venice)
Helena, Hermia, Hippolyta, Titania (Midsummer Night's Dream)
Beatrice, Hero, Ursula (Much Ado About Nothing)
Angelica, Juliet, Rosaline (Romeo & Juliet)
Bianca, Katharina (Taming of the Shrew)
Ceres, Iris, Juno (The Tempest)
Olivia, Viola (The Twelfth Night)
Julia, Lucetta, Silvia (Two Gentlemen of Verona)
Hermione, Paulina, Perdita (Winter's Tale)
Shakesperean boy names
Boy names seem to be a little easier to come by in Shakespeare's plays. There are plenty of girl names (as evidenced above) but there was far less equality in the 16th and 17th centuries and not only were there more male parts, but the female parts were always acted out by male actors.
Bertram, Lavache, Parolles (All's Well that Ends Well)
Adam, Amiens, Corin, Oliver (As You Like It)
Angelo, Dromio, Solinus (Comedy of Errors)
Claudius, Francisco, Hamlet, Horatio, Voltimand (Hamlet)
Curan, Edgar, Edmund, Lear, Oswald (King Lear)
Angus, Banquo, Duncan, Lennox, Malcolm, Ross, seyton (Macbeth)
Fenton, Ford, Nym, Pistol, Robin (Merry Wives of Windsor)
Demetrius, Lysander, Oberon, Puck, Quince (Midsummer Night's Dream)
Cassio, Iago, Montano (Othello)
Cerimon, Cleon (Pericles)
Mercutio, Paris, Sampson, Tybalt (Romeo)
Alonso, Ariel, Caliban, Prospero (The Tempest)
Curio, Fabian, Orsino, Sebastian (Twelfth Night)
Dion, Leontes (Winter's Tale)
As you can see, there are many names to choose from! Names from long ago have a classic feel to them, so Shakespearean names are a great place to look for insipration.
Want to know the origin and meaning of name? Try our Advanced Baby Name Search.
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Article provided courtesy of BabyHold.com