Shakespearean Names

Ben Didier via Dribbble

There's a reason everyone likes Shakespearean names--they signify class, romanticism, and intelligence, (most) without sounding too pompous or proper. If you're looking for one of these names for your son or daughter, I've compiled this list of the ones I deem most usable.

Girls
Adriana
Aemilia
Alice
Aliena
Angelica
Anne
Audrey
Beatrice
Bianca
Blanche
Calphurnia
Cassandra
Celia
Cleopatra
Constance
Cordelia
Cressida
Desdemona
Diana
Dionyza
Doll
Dorcas
Eleanor
Elizabeth
Emilia
Francisca
Gertrude
Helen
Helena
Hermia
Hermione
Hero
Imogen
Iris
Isabella
Jane
Jessica
Joan
Julia
Juliet
Juno
Kate
Katharine
Katherine
Lavinia
Leonine
Luce
Lucetta
Luciana
Margaret
Maria
Marianna
Marina
Meg
Miranda
Nan
Nell
Nerissa
Octavia
Olivia
Ophelia
Patience
Paulina
Perdita
Phebe
Portia
Regan
Rosalind
Rosaline
Silvia
Tamora
Thaisa
Thisbe
Timandra
Titania
Valeria
Viola
Virgilia
Volumnia

Boys
Aaron
Abraham
Adam
Adrian
Andrew
Ajax
Alexander
Alexas
Alonso
Angelo
Angus
Anthony
Antonio
Ariel
Arthur
Balthasar
Barnardo
Benedick
Benvolio
Berkeley
Bertram
Brandon
Caesar
Caius
Camillo
Cassio
Cassius
Cato
Charles
Christopher
Cicero
Cinna
Clarence
Claudio
Claudius
Cleomines
Cleon
Clifford
Clitus
Cloten
Corin
Cornelius
Curan
Curio
Curtis
Cymbeline
Davy
Demetrius
Denny
Dick
Dion
Duncan
Edgar
Edmund
Edward
Egeon
Emmanuel
Fabian
Fenton
Ferdinand
Flavius
Ford
Francis
Francisco
Frederick
Gardiner
George
Gerald
Gregory
Grey
Griffith
Harry
Hector
Henry
Horatio
Hubert
Hugh
Humphrey
Iago
Isidore
Jachimo
Jack
Jaques
James
Jamy
John
Joseph
Jourdain
Julius
Junius
Jupiter
Lennox
Leonardo
Leonato
Leonatus
Leontes
Lewis
Lorenzo
Louis
Lovell
Lucentio
Lucilius
Lucio
Lucius
Lysander
Macmorris
Malcolm
Marcellus
Marcus
Mark
Martius
Matthew
Mercutio
Michael
Montano
Morgan
Mortimer
Morton
Nathaniel
Ned
Nicholas
Nick
Nym
Oberon
Octavius
Oliver
Orlando
Orsino
Osrick
Oswald
Othello
Owen
Paris
Pedro
Percy
Peter
Peto
Philip
Philario
Philo
Polonius
Puck
Quince
Quintus
Reynaldo
Richard
Robert
Robin
Roderigo
Romeo
Ross
Sampson
Sebastian
Silvius
Simon
Smith
Stanley
Stephano
Taurus
Thomas
Timon
Timothy
Titus
Toby
Tom
Tranio
Travers
Troy
Valentine
Valerius
Varro
Vernon
Vincentio
Walter
Will
Williams
Willoughby

10 Q Names You Never Thought of Using: Boys

Image Credit

When are Q names going to become a trend? We've had X's and O's, I think Q's turn is coming up. Let's stay ahead of the curve, and look at some rad Q names for boys.

Quaid- Sure, he's a celebrity surname, but we Americans have proven we aren't opposed to that. In fact, how about a celebrity surname sibset? I like the sound of Quaid and Keaton together. Not a movie buff? Spell it Quade.

Quain- Quain is a similar, but softer version of Quaid. Plus, he shares sounds with other trendy names like Zane, Kayne, and Reign.

Quennell- This French surname means "little oak tree," and sounds incredibly smart. Maybe it's that -nell ending he shares with some top colleges (Cornell, Bucknell, Grinnell, etc.). A baby named Quennell is destined for genius.

Quill- How amazing would it be if an author named their son Quill? Answer: Totally awesome. He's even great in the middle (and you don't have to be an author to use him).

Quillan- Is Quill too nickname-y for your taste? Try Quillan. Now he has a stylish ending, and a rad nickname.

Quiller- Or you could go with Quiller! He's similar in concept to Quillan, but he might be a better fit for your family.

Quimby- Any Ramona fans out there? Her surname would be great on a little boy (or girl), and you can read the books together.

Quince- Quince is one of the better Shakespearean names out there. He's short, peppy, and much more accessible than Horatio or Othello.

Quinlan- If you're in need of a Quinn name beyond Quentin, Quinlan's your man. They're so similar, it's silly that no one is using him.

Quito- We love place names, but I haven't heard of anyone named Quito. The capital of Ecuador would be a great name to honor your heritage.