abi_carter's list "Shakespearean Names" of 3 great name ideas: Ross - Viola!

Shakespearean Names

Shakespearean Names that I might consider along with the plays they are from

Like Friends, Ross is off the air and into syndication as a baby name, having plummeted from its zenith in the late 80s to fall off the US Top 1000 in 2013. Today, Ross is more likely to be a dad name than a newborn name.
 Ross originated as one of the many <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/428/scottish-baby-names">Scottish names</a> taken from the surname of a famous clan, and is a place name in that country as well. It's a quiet, understated Celtic name that could come back in the current climate of single-syllable boy name popularity, though it will probably take a few years.
 Other notable Rosses besides the Ross Geller character include tycoon and maverick presidential candidate H. (for Henry) Ross Perot, mystery writer Ross (born Kenneth) Macdonald, and one of the twin sons of Jane Pauley and Garry Trudeau.

Ross

Thaisa

Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. With a touch of international flair, it also avoids the violent/Violet some parents have. 
 In the Bard's gender-bending comedy of identity and disguise, Viola is the appealing, passionate heroine, while later takes on this tale include Shakespeare in Love, with Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola de Lesseps and She's the Man starring Amanda Bynes. The most distinguished current real-life bearer is Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress Viola Davis.
 Viola was a Top 50 name in the US from 1899 to 1911, falling off the list in 1972, but is still popular in other countries such as Italy, where it's in the Top 30 and Finland where it's in the Top 20. More recently, it has entered the England and Wales Top 1000, joining other Shakespearean favorites like Ophelia and Imogen.
 
And in the US too, where Violet is now a mega-star, strong Viola is climbing up the ranks again, with more than 230 girls given the name in a recent year. 
 
The name does have a number of different pronunciations depending on preference and location. English speakers might say it with the long -i- sound in Violet, making it vye-O-luh or VYE-uh-luh, though vee-O-luh is used too. Elsewhere, it may be heard as VYAW-la (Italy), vih-OO-la (Sweden), vee-O-la (Spanish, German), VEE-aw-la (Slovak), and VEE-o-law (Hungarian). Occasionally, it might even be said with two syllables, VYE-luh, missing out the o sound, as you might in Violet.