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Fact checked by Karen Cilli Fact checked by Karen Cilli William Shakespeare once wrote, “What’s in a name?” Turns out, everything! That line appears in one of his most famous plays, Romeo & Juliet, and is followed by the equally iconic line “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
Shakespeare knew quite a bit about names. The legendary playwright has penned dramatic productions with some of the most popular monikers of all time, including Jessica and Olivia. His works are a goldmine of inspiration, but don’t worry—you don’t have to give your child a very obvious Shakespearian name like Hamlet or Macbeth unless you want to!
There are plenty of characters to help you decide. Some picks are more rare, while others would feel right at home with the top trending names of the 2020s. Ahead, discover our list of Shakespearean names for baby boys and girls.
Although many baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in selecting names. It's important to choose a name you feel fits your child best.
Shakespeare Names for Girls Viola Gwyneth Paltrow brought Twelfth Night ’s Viola to life in Shakespeare in Love —and won an Oscar for it.
Meaning : Purple, violet Origin : Latin, Italian Alternative Spellings & Variations : Violla, Violet
Juliet You can’t have a roundup of Shakespeare names without the most famous of them: Juliet!
Meaning : Youthful Origin : Latin, French Alternative Spellings & Variations : Juliette Ophelia The Hamlet heroine may meet a tragic fate, but the name itself is lovely.
Meaning : Aid, help Origin : Greek Portia Portia shows up in a few Shakespeare plays, including Julius Caesar.
Meaning : Entrance, gate Origin : Latin Ariel Another Tempest -inspired name, Ariel also conjures up visions of mermaids under the sea.
Meaning : Lion of God Origin : Hebrew Alternative Spellings & Variations : Arielle
Cordelia The name Cordelia can also be shortened to the cute nickname Delia.
Meaning : Heart Origin : Latin Elizabeth This classic name Elizabeth shows up in several Shakespeare productions, but it was also the name of the reigning queen of the time, Elizabeth I.
Meaning : God’s promise Origin : Hebrew Alternative Spellings & Variations : Elisabeth, Liz, Lizzy, Betsy, Bess, Eliza Helen/Helena These lovely names appear in All’s Well That Ends Well, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Troilus and Cressida.
Meaning : Light Origin : Greek Alternative Spellings & Variations : Hellen, Hellena, Halina
Katharine/Katherine/Katherina The “Kat” in Taming of the Shrew was memorably brought to life onscreen by Julia Stiles in the iconic '90s film 10 Things I Hate About You.
Meaning : Pure Origin : Greek Alternative Spellings & Variations : Catherine, Kate, Cate, Kat Bianca Bianca is another Taming of the Shrew character whose 10 Things I Hate About You version was played by Larisa Oleniyk.
Meaning : Fair, white Origin : Italian More Shakespeare Names for Babies Miranda : Miranda is the main character in The Tempest , but is probably best associated with Sex and the City today. Octavia : Octavia is a super cool and unique name that appears in Antony & Cleopatra. Rosaline : Before Romeo falls for Juliet, he’s obsessed with a girl named Rosaline—a romantic, beautiful name. Rosalind : Rosalind is the heroine of As You Like It and feels perfectly old-fashioned and sweet. Titania : She’s the queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and what is lovelier than that? Diana : The name Diana shows up in All’s Well That Ends Well and is also a nod to the goddess of the hunt. Eleanor : This queenly name appears in Henry VI. Celia : Celia is another heroine of As You Like It; she’s Rosalind’s cousin. Cassandra : The famous prophet Cassandra appears in Troilus & Cressida. Anne : Shakespeare’s wife was a woman named Anne Hathaway...yes, just like the modern actress. Adriana : Adriana, still a popular choice today, appears in The Comedy of Errors. Cressida : The titular character of Troilus & Cressida , Cressida is a young woman who falls in love with Troilus amidst a war. Calpurnia : A lovely name that starts with "C," you could call her Callie for short. Iris : Timeless, floral, beautiful! Hermione : Before she popped up in the Harry Potter books, Hermione was a Shakespearean character. Margaret : Margaret was the name of Shakespeare’s sister and a popular choice of that period of history. Lavinia : Lavinia appears in Titus Andronicus and does not meet a happy fate, but the name itself is lovely. Valentine : Valentine is actually a male character in Two Gentlemen of Verona, but it’s just as charming for a baby girl. Ursula : No, not the sea witch! Ursula is a vibrant minor character in Much Ado About Nothing . Imogen : Imogen appears in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline. Desdemona : The beautiful Desdemona is the romantic interest of Othello in Othello. “Mona” would be a nice shortened version. Jessica : Legend has it that Shakespeare actually created the popular '80s and '90s name Jessica . Olivia : Olivia is another massively popular name today! Paris : Paris, Juliet’s suitor in Romeo & Juliet , also works well for a baby girl. Juno : The name Juno pops up in The Tempest. Judith or Susanna : Consider naming your little one after Shakespeare’s daughters, Judith and Susanna! Regan : Regan is a villain in King Lear and the daughter of the king himself. Cecily : Cecily is a minor character in King Richard III. Emilia : Emilia appears in Othello as Desdemona’s maid. Mariana : Mariana is a tragic figure in one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known plays, Measure for Measure. Cleopatra : The Egyptian queen was the star of her own Shakespeare play, Antony & Cleopatra. Dorcas : Dorcas feels so old fashioned that it simultaneously feels super modern. Audrey : This sweet name pops up in As You Like It. Jupiter : References to Jupiter pop up in a few different Shakespeare plays. Ashley Tisdale named her daughter Jupiter in 2021. Tamora : Tamora appears in Titus Andronicus and meets a bitter end. Tamara is a variation. Silvia : Silvia is the romantic lead of Two Gentlemen of Verona but also the subject of one of Shakespeare’s poems. Cymbeline : Cymbeline, the king at the heart of the eponymous play, is a male character, but we think the name works well for a little girl.
Shakespeare Names for Boys William Why not name your baby after the man himself? The name William is just as popular today as it was in Shakespeare’s time.
Meaning : Protector Origin : German Alternative Spellings & Variations : Wilhem, Willem Romeo If you have Juliet, you gotta have her Romeo too!
Arthur Shakespeare didn’t write about King Arthur, but the name shows up in his play King John.
Meaning : Bear Origin : Latin Alternative Spellings & Variations : Artie, Art, Arturo
Antonio The name Antonio appears in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and can also be shortened to Tony.
Meaning : Praiseworthy Origin : Latin Alternative Spellings & Variations : Anthony, Tony, Antony Julius As in Caesar, of course.
Meaning : Downy-haired Origin : Roman, Greek, Latin Alternative Spellings & Variations : Julian Caesar If you’re gonna go there, why not go all the way there?
Meaning : Hair Origin : Latin Alternative Spellings & Variations : Cesar Anthony/Antony Just like the titular Antony of Antony & Cleopatra, of course.
Meaning : Priceless Origin : Latin Alternative Spellings & Variations : Antonio, Tony Cornelius You’ll hear this strong, classic name in both Hamlet and Cymbeline.
Meaning : Horn Origin : Latin Demetrius A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most fun romantic comedies, and Demetrius is one of the characters.
Meaning : Of Demeter Origin : Greek Francis A very popular name in Shakespeare’s time, Francis appears in many Shakespeare productions.
Meaning : Frenchman Origin : Latin Alternative Spellings & Variations : Frank, Francisco, Frances More Shakespeare Names for Boys Frederick : Frederick is a duke in As You Like It. Shorten it to Freddie for an everyday name. Henry : You can’t have a list of Shakespearean names without Henry , one of the most popular male names of the period. Lance/Lancelot : The character in Two Gentlemen of Verona is also referred to as “Launce,” but this is a more common spelling. Duncan : Duncan is the Scottish king in Macbeth. Malcolm : Malcolm is the son of King Duncan from Macbeth and serves as symbol of goodness and honor. Lucius : The name Lucius appears a few times in Shakespeare’s oeuvre, but most prominently in Julius Caesar. Orlando : Orlando is one of the main characters in As You Like It. Sebastian : Sebastian is Viola’s twin brother in Twelfth Night. Abraham/Abram : You’ll spy Abraham in Romeo & Juliet, though he’s sometimes referred to as Abram. Lorenzo : This Italian name appears in The Merchant of Venice and falls for Jessica. Toby : Toby is a fun-loving, sly trickster in Twelfth Night. Cassius : Cassius may not be the hero of Julius Caesar, but the name itself is a great one. Adrian : Adrian is a minor character in The Tempest who is shipwrecked on the island. Achilles : The mythological Greek god himself shows up in Troilus & Cressida. Edward or Edmund : Two very popular names of Shakespeare’s time, both Edward and Edmund are still used today. Ferdinand : In The Tempest, the character of Ferdinand falls for Miranda. Alonso : Alonso is Ferdinand’s father in The Tempest and also the king of Naples. Lennox : Lennox appears in Macbeth and is a cool, unique Scottish name. Leonardo : It probably comes as no surprise that this name pops up in The Merchant of Venice. Lately, “ Leo ” has been a popular pick for baby boys. Othello : The name Othello is just so cool and powerful. Philip : This royal name appears in a few Shakespeare plays and would be right at home in a kindergarten classroom today. Robin : The infamous Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream is also known as Robin Goodfellow. Ulysses : Another Greek name, Ulysses is a character in Troilus & Cressida. Caius : Caius is one of King Lear’s most trusted advisors in the play of the same name. Cicero : The Roman Cicero is an orator in Julius Caesar. Bartholomew : The name Bartholomew would definitely stand out in a crowd. Benvolio : Romeo’s cousin Benvolio has a pretty cool name. Call him Ben for short. Yorick : “Alas, poor Yorick!” says Hamlet, clutching the skull. However, we’re kind of into this unique name. Lysander : Lysander shows up in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and gives major dark academia name vibes. Peter : Though Shakespeare plays are known for their many elaborate names, there are also plenty of more classic options, like Peter. Claudius : Claudius is Hamlet’s scheming, manipulative brother and the basis for Scar in Disney’s The Lion King. Walter : Walter, a big name in Shakespeare’s time, appears in several plays and has recently had a jump in popularity. Benedict : A similar name, Benedick, is the hero of Much Ado About Nothing , but today you probably think of actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Cinna : Cinna shows up in Julius Caesar, but many millennials will know the name as a reference to The Hunger Games. That’s not an accident! Titus : In honor of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus. Roderigo, Rodrigo : Roderigo falls in love with Desdemona in Othello and meets a tragic fate. Stratford: You could also draw inspiration from Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon.
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