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

Full Names for Cassie

I made this.

Cascade- Everyone loves a good word name, and Cascade seems like a perfect one. She conjures up images of brisk, serene waterfalls--what more could you ask for?

Cassandra- The classic full name for Cassie. She's been on a downward trend ever since the '80s, but she doesn't strike me as terribly dated. I wouldn't bat an eye at a baby Cassandra in 2015.

Cassandria- But if you want to get more dramatic, Cassandria is the way to go. Just like Alexandra/Alexandria, Cassandra/Cassandria shows us that one tiny "I" can make a big difference in terms of image.

Cassatindra- I first came across Cassatindra while doing research for this post, and I was immediately intrigued. However, a simple Google search yielded almost no results. All I could gather was that she is a variation of Cassandra (obvoiusly), but a name like her must have some history. Cassatindra would make a show-stopping name for a daughter.

Cassia- Brought into the spotlight by the young adult novel Matched, Cassia is a beautiful way to get to Cassie. Cassia actually a nature name--the spice is often used as a substitute for cinnamon.

Cassidy- Cassidy peaked in 1999 at #99, and has been on the decline ever since. However, she's had a slight uptick in recent years--maybe it's because she's a great full name for Cassie.

Cassiopeia- This celestial name may seem like a mouthful, but fortunately enough people are familiar with her that you shouldn't get too many mispronounciations. And if she does prove to be too much, you can always call her Cassie.

Jocasta- Jocasta is one of the prettiest (and certainly most underused) Jo- names. Her long "A" sound doesn't quite lend itself to Cassie, but you can defitintely make it work.

Lancaster- Lancaster is a British surname and place name not often used on girls. With (or even without) the nickname Cassie, Lancaster would be wonderful on a baby girl.

Nicasia- A lovely name for honoring a Nicole is Nicasia. She has a gorgeous, slightly exotic feel, but the nickname Cassie makes her all-American.

Pascasia- Pascasia is the feminine version of Pascal. These names are usually used in the early Spring (they mean Easter and Passover), but a name as beautiful as Pascasia should be used all year round.

Long Middle Names: Girls

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Long middle names can sound quite fantastical on girls, especially when paired with a long first name. But even if the first name is relatively short, the long middle name always does a nice job of balancing it out. I have 100 three syllable names that make lovely middle names for you to look at today. Of course, there are many more that did not make this list, so tell me--on this list or otherwise--what's your favorite long middle name for a girl?

Abigail
Alaska
Alouette
Alyssa
Amandine
Amelie
Anais
Annabel
Anneliese
Ariel
Augusta
Aurora
Beatrice
Bonita
Cameo
Carissa
Carmela
Cassandra
Cecilia
Celestine
Clarissa
Claudia
Clementine
Coralie
Dahlia
Dominique
Elena
Eloise
Emily
Eulalie
Francesca
Gabrielle
Geneva
Genevieve
Gloria
Helena
Hollister
Imogen
Isabeau
Joanna
Josephine
Jubilee
Juliette
Juniper
Kerensa
Keziah
Lavender
Leona
Liatris
Lilia
Linnea
Lolita
Louisa
Lucinda
Madigan
Margaret
Maria
Marigold
Marina
Marisol
Melody
Meredith
Mignonette
Mirabel
Naomi
Nigella
Ottilie
Paloma
Peridot
Pomeline
Querida
Quintessa
Reverie
Romilly
Rosalie
Rosemary
Salome
Santana
Saskia
Sienna
Sierra
Simona
Sophia
Umbria
Verity
Veronique
Vienna
Viola
Violet
Virginia
Vivian
Ximena
Zahara
Zinnia

Song Names: ABBA

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Do you guys have that one band that is totally not your style but you love them anyways? For me, ABBA is that band. Swedish 70s pop might be the exact opposite of my usual indie rock. They have an interesting mix of names throughout their songs, take a look.

Girls:
Cassandra- I'm not sure if I'd call her a modern classic, but she doesn't sound dated to my ears.
Helen- Ready for a comeback? All the other El- names have, so why not?
Jeanie- I can see Jean, but Jeanie is a stretch.
Mia- Very popular, no one would get the reference.
Nina- The song is Nina, Pretty Ballerina, so you better hopes she likes to dance.
Piper- Cute and peppy.
Suzy- This spelling seems dated to me. Try Susie.

Boys:
Bobby- If you're looking for a nickname for Robert, try Robby or Bertie.
Fernando- This is the only one on the list where I could see people understanding the connection.
Livingston- It might take a while for him to learn how to spell it, but Livingston is a great name.

Alternatives to Isabella

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People love Isabella. She's ranked number one is past years, and while she's falling, she's certainly still popular. For many she is too popular, in that case alternatives are needed. Here are some great ones.

Sight:
Isabeau- I love the name Isabeau. This is an amazing choice for adventurous parents.
Isadora- Slightly clunky but completely charming.
Isannah- A great exotic choice.

Sound:
Annabella- She has all the frills Isabella has.
Arabella- She's so pretty in her own right, I wouldn't even use the nickname Bella.
Gabriella- Gabriella is climbing the charts, but is not at Isabella's level. Yet.

Style:
Cassandra- I personally prefer Cassie over Izzy.
Ivanna- Not popular, and has a similar feel to Isabella.
Juliana- She would make a great sister for Isabella.