Shakespeare Names

Lace-hankie name with Shakespearean pedigree.

The origins of Lucentio are a bit hazy — it's possible Shakespeare invented the name for his play The Taming of the Shrew, where Lucentio ends up marrying Bianca. However, it may have been an obscure Italian variation of Lucentius, existing before Shakespeare's time.

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.

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

Stick with the original.

This Shakespearean name is even more out of step than its male counterpart, but it may possibly be so far out it could make its way back in.

Ancient Italian form of Vincent, used by Shakespeare in both The Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure.

Either an alternative spelling of Jacques (ZHAK), the French form of Jack, or a Shakespearean character from As You Like It, pronounced JAY-kwiss.

Shakespeare invented the names Salerio, Solanio, and Salarino for his play The Merchant of Venice. The names are puns on salario, the Italian word for "salary," as each character shows great concern with money.

Shakespeare used Volumnia as the name of Coriolanus' mother in his tragedy Coriolanus.