Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
Shakespeare Names
Across 7 pages
of 7
Desdemona
Greek
"ill-starred"
Desdemona is as Shakespearean as a name can be, but because the beautiful and innocent wife of Othello came to such a tragic end, her name has been avoided for centuries. But at this point in time,…
Banquo
Scottish, Literature
"white hound"
Appearing on a character in Shakespeare's semi-historical play, Macbeth and in an earlier work called Holinshed's Chronicles from which Shakespeare took inspiration, the name Banquo has yet to appear…
Edmund
English
"fortunate protector"
The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly…
Demetrius
Greek
"follower of Demeter"
Classical and Shakespearean name that may appeal if you like your names long, flowing and multicultural.
Cymbeline
Celtic
"sun lord or sun hound"
The title of a Shakespeare play based on legends featuring the early Celtic King Cunobelinus, whose name derives from the Gaulish sun god Belenus.
Fenton
English
"marsh town"
Fenton is the kind of surname name that's starting to sound almost like a normal first name these days. While it made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 in the late 1800s, today it's distinctive but…
Ferdinand
German
"bold voyager"
Ferdinand is a traditional name among Spanish royal families and also appears in Shakespeare's The Tempest , borne by the handsome young prince shipwrecked on Prospero's island. Bold, daring, and…
Flavius
Latin
"yellow, blond"
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. Earlier…
Florizel
Shakespearean invented name, Latin
"flower"
Shakespeare seems to have coined this name for the Prince of Bohemia in his late tragicomedy The Winter's Tale by drawing inspiration from the Latin floris meaning "flower". It's rarely been used as…
Francisca
Spanish, Portuguese
"free man"
Spanish and Portuguese form of Frances or Francesca
Cressida
Greek
"gold"
Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…
Griffith
Welsh
"strong lord"
A classic Welsh name, softer than Griffin and friendlier to spell than Gruffudd - that hasn't had as much love as it deserves elsewhere. Namesakes range from medieval kings to the philanthropist…
Hamlet
Anglicized form of Danish, Amleth
The "To Be or Not to Be" jokes, via Shakespeare's tortured prince, will get old by Month Two.
Cornelius
Latin
"horn"
Cornelius, the New Testament name of a third century Pope and saint, is one of those venerable Latin names on the edge of consideration, despite the corny nickname alert. Cornelius has some magical…