User-created list
Great Shakespeare Names
Across 10 pages
of 10
Cassius
Latin
"hollow"
Cassius, a Shakespearean name rooted in antiquity, is trending in a major way. It's one of a raft of Cas-starting names for both boys and girls, including Caspian, Cassian, and Cassia, that are…
Gregory
Greek
"vigilant, a watchman"
The Greek name of sixteen popes and fifteen saints, the gregarious Gregory became big in the United States with the emergence of admirable actor Gregory Peck (born Eldred) in the late 1940s. From…
Marina
Latin
"from the sea"
This pretty sea-born name was used to dramatic effect by Shakespeare in his play Pericles for the virtuous princess who says she is "Call'd Marina, for I was born at sea." Marina was an epithet of…
Anne
French variation of English Ann and Hebrew Hannah
"grace"
The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but…
Cassandra
Greek
"shining or excelling man"
The name of the tragic mythological Trojan princess who was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but was condemned never to be believed, Cassandra has been used for striking characters in movies and…
Miranda
Latin
"marvellous, admirable"
Miranda, a shimmeringly lovely, poetic name that was invented by Shakespeare for the beautiful and admirable young heroine of his play, The Tempest , is still a recommended choice even though its…
Jessica
Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
When Jennifer finally gave up her Number 1 place on the girls' popularity list, her crown was passed to Jessica, who reigned for not one but two decades. Jessica was the Number 1 name in both the…
Robin
Bird name; or English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Gentle but solid, as much of a word as it is a name, Robin is a rising star in the US, and a favorite in Belgium, France, Czechia and Switzerland. With memorable namesakes like Robin Hood, Robin…
Hugh
English from German, Irish
"mind, intellect; fiery one"
Tough yet gentle in look and sound, Hugh was a Top 100 choice in the US back in the late 19th-century and while it's never reached those heights again, it has always managed to remain in the Top 1000…
Abram
Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Abram was Abraham's original name in the Bible; it's more user-friendly but with a bit less gravitas. And it does offer that cool nickname Bram, as well as the friendly Abe. After some early American…
Celia
Latin
"heavenly"
Celia, splendidly sleek and feminine, is a name that was scattered throughout Shakespeare and other Elizabethan literature, but still manages to feel totally modern. Derived from the Latin Caelius,…
Paulina
Spanish, feminine variation of Paul
"small"
More stylish than either Paula or Pauline, it was given a glamour gloss by model Paulina Porizkova in the nineties.
Alonso
Portuguese and Spanish variation of Adalfuns, German
"noble and ready"
Alonso is the Spanish and Portuguese diminutive version of Alfonso, itself deriving from an old Germanic name "Adalfuns" meaning "noble and ready." Although the Italian spelling Alonzo is more…
Stanley
English
"near the stony clearing"
Although Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire personified brute force, most Stanleys have been portrayed as meek milquetoasts. It has a totally "old-man" or "grandpa" vibe that may appeal to…
Orlando
Italian variation of Roland
"famous throughout the land"
Orlando, the ornate Italianate twist on the dated Roland, with a literary heritage stretching back to Shakespeare and before, has appealing book-ended o's, and is open to combination with almost any…
Montgomery
Norman
"man power"
This image of this distinguished Anglo-Scottish surname, drawn from the French place name of the ancient castle of Saint Foi de Montgomery, is rapidly shifting from fusty and formal to cool. And…
Toby
Diminutive of Tobias, Greek, Hebrew
"God is Good"
Sweet and spirited, kindly and handsome, posh and approachable, Toby is a versatile nickname, popular in the UK as a stand-alone choice, but familiar in the Netherlands and New Zealand too. In the…
Cordelia
Latin; Celtic
"heart; daughter of the sea"
Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both…
Balthasar
Greek
"God protects the king"
Balthasar was one of the biblical Three Kings who visited the infant Jesus, also used by Shakespeare and in the oil-rich Getty family; offbeat and intriguing. Balthazar is another, equally…
Nell
English, diminutive of Helen, Eleanor, et al
"bright, shining one"
Nell, once a nickname for Helen, Ellen, or Eleanor, is a sweet old-fashioned charmer that is fashionably used today in its own right. While Nell is perfectly in tune with contemporary vintage name…