Shakespeare Names

Though we've gotten used to Hermione via Harry Potter, and even Hermes with its godlike and fashion associations, most people would still have a problem with Hermia (too close to hernia?) and Herman.

Flavius is an ancient Roman family name associated with a dynasty of emperors. It has an appealingly flavorful first syllable, and is the name of a stylist in the Hunger Games series.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Frances or Francesca

An old royal name in England and Scotland that's also spelled Marjorie. Popular in the Middle Ages and Tudor period, it was revived at the end of the 19th century, peaked in 1921 and dropped off the list in 1958, enough time to be reconsidered as a Margaret alternative. The name Margery Daw is familiar via the seesaw nursery rhyme and Margery Williams wrote the children's classic The Velveteen Rabbit..

Ancient Athenian statesman whose name was once used in the US mostly for enslaved people, following a trend for names of ancient figures.

Kids would be more likely to associate this name with the hyperactive meercat in "The Lion King" than with the ancient Greek philosopher or Shakespearean character, which could cause playground problems.

Coriolanus comes from Corioli, the name of a Volscian city. The Shakespearean play Coriolanus is based on the life of Ancient Roman general Caius Marcius Coriolanus.

Though often Anglicized as Phoebe, Phebe has separate roots. It originated as a variation of Afua, an Akan day name, and commonly used among enslaved people in America.

This name was used by Shakespeare (who got it from Plutarch) in Antony and Cleopatra for one of the attendants of the Egyptian queen. An interesting possibility, it is heard occasionally in the UK, even less frequently in the US.

Alas, poor Yorick, your name is fated to remain locked forever as a skull in Hamlet.

Brand new surname option that's equally appealing on girls and boys.

This Latinate form of Bernard hovered in the lower regions of the US Top 1000 from the late 1940s until 2006, possibly inspired by the character in West Side Story. It remains popular in Portugal and it does have a little more flair than the grandpa style Bernard.

Orson is being rediscovered and Orsino is every bit as attractive.

Thaisa is a variation of the ancient Greek Thais that was used by Shakespeare for the wife of Pericles. This literary princess name is rare and attractive.

The name of minor characters in Shakespeare's two of Roman plays – Julius Caesar and Timon of Athens – and a noble Spanish surname. Though probably etymologically unrelated to the Latin word for truth, "veritas," it still carries the feeling of forthrightness and honesty.

Lace-hankie name with Shakespearean pedigree.

While the spelling Stefano is more common, Stephano makes a great choice for parents looking to give Stephen/Steven a more romantic feel. Although only given to 8 boys in the US in 2014, Stephano could be a great choice for parents looking for a name with the same flavor as Rafael, Matteo or Emilio. It appears as a character name in Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Now that Camilla is super popular, why not consider the male version? It's been the name of dozens of prominent Italians -- including a 16th century pope -- throughout history, and Shakespeare used for a Sicilian nobleman in The Winter's Tale.

Attractive name associated both with a queenly character who meets a very grisly end in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus and popular teen fantasy novelist Tamora Pierce. Shakespearean puns in the name include amor for love and moor as the character was in love with a Moor, though any parent interested in the name should be aware of its tragic association.

Hortensio was derived from the Ancient Roman cognomen Hortensius, as were the more familiar names Hortensia and Hortense.