Innogen
Innogen Origin and Meaning
Innogen is the Shakespearean name that never was. Most sources will tell you that Shakespeare intended to use Innogen for a character in Cymbeline, but his printer mistook the twos Ns for an M, thus inventing Imogen. This may or may not be true — Imogen seems to have existed before his time, and Shakespeare may have changed the spelling on purpose — but nevertheless, it makes for a great name story.
The evidence is mixed on whether or not Shakespeare deliberately altered Innogen for his play, but he undoubtedly took it from Holinshed's Chronicles, comprehensive volumes of British history. Innogen was the wife of the first king of Britain, Brutus of Troy, who ruled in the 12th century. Prior to that, the name existed in various forms in Brittany, including Ennoguent, Innoguend, and Innoguent.
Popular consensus is that Innogen was ultimately was derived from the Gaelic word for "daughter," inghean, but the -guen(t/d) ending implies a relation to windos, the Proto-Celtic root meaning "white," from which we get -gwyn and -gwen today.
In modern times, Imogen has totally eclipsed Innogen in use (blame it on Shakespeare). It has never been recorded as a name in the US, making it a one-of-a-kind option for a daughter.
20 Names Similar to Innogen
Famous People Named Innogen
- Innogenlegendary wife of King Brutus of Britain
Innogen in Pop Culture
- InogenMerlin's daughter in Richard Hole's Arthur. She fled Britain with her father after Hengist's Saxon invasion. Arthur fell in love with her, saved her from rape by Hengist, and married her