Leonato

Shakespearean invented name

Leonato Origin and Meaning

The name Leonato is a boy's name .

Leonato is one of the main characters in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing -- the noble governor of Messina on whose property most of the play takes place. His daughter Hero and niece Beatrice are the two main female romantic leads in the play. His character is ambiguous; he starts out friendly and amiable, but he reacts very harshly to rumors that his daughter has lost her "honor" before marriage. Still, this could be an unusual and striking way to get to the extremely popular Leo.

Leonato in Pop Culture

• Leonato character in Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing"