Little did William Shakespeare know, that when he wrote Romeo and Juliet, he would be making a giant impact on countless future generations of Name Book writers. I don't think there is a popular name book out there that doesn't contain at least one reference to this "Rose by any other name" idea, or the eternal question, "What's in a name?"
Also, I've found meanings of names in baby name books that are based on Shakespeare's plays. For example, In one book, the name Ariel (from Hebrew, meaning "Lion of God") is listed as meaning "sea sprite." sound anything like Ariel in The Tempest? And for the name Titania (from Latin, "of the Titans [i.e., large]") it said the meaning was "queen of the fairies." Hmmm. Completely etymologically inaccurate, but right on from a cultural standpoint. Shakespeare is truly the Bard of dime store baby name books!
Besides this, The Bard has made a huge contribution to the naming pool. Where would we be without names like Imogen, Jessica and Miranda? Yes, those were Shakespeare's creations. So sit back and peruse a list of names from Shakespeare's plays. Who knows, Juliet is already getting popular in the USA. Maybe the daycares of the future will be filled with Benvolios and Timandras. There is a Male name list and a Female name list.
| Name | Appeared in |
|---|---|
| Aaron | Titus Andronicus |
| Abhorson | Measure for Measure |
| Abraham | Romeo & Juliet |
| Achilles | Troilus & Cressida |
| Adam | As You Like It |
| Adrian | The Tempest |
| Adriano | Love's Labour Lost |
| Aegeon | Comedy of Errors |
| Aemilius | Titus Andronicus |
| Aemilius Lepidus | Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra |
| Aeneas | Troilus & Cressida |
| Agamemnon | Troilus & Cressida |
| Agrippa | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Ajax | Troilus & Cressida |
| Alarbus | Titus Andronicus |
| Alcibiades | Timon of Athens |
| Alexander | Troilus & Cressida |
| Alexas | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Alonso | The Tempest |
| Amiens | As You Like It |
| Andrew Aguecheek (Sir) | Twelfth Night |
| Angelo | Measure for Measure, Comedy of Errors |
| Angus | Macbeth |
| Antenor | Troilus & Cressida |
| Antigonus | A Winter's Tale |
| Antiochus | Pericles |
| Antipholus | Comedy of Errors |
| Antonio | Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, The Tempest |
| Antonio | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Apemantus | Timon of Athens |
| Archidamus | A Winter's Tale |
| Ariel | The Tempest |
| Aruiragus | Cymbeline |
| Autolucus | A Winter's Tale |
| Balthasar | Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo & Juliet |
| Balthazar | Comedy of Errors |
| Banquo | Macbeth |
| Baptista | Taming of the Shrew |
| Bardolph | Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry V |
| Barnardine | Measure for Measure |
| Bassanio | Merchant of Venice |
| Bassanius | Titus Andronicus |
| Bassett | King Henry VI |
| Bates | Henry V |
| Belarius | Cymbeline |
| Benedick | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Benvolio | Romeo & Juliet |
| Bernardo | Hamlet |
| Berowne | Love's Labour Lost |
| Biondello | Taming of the Shrew |
| Borachio | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Bottom | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Boult | Pericles |
| Boyet | Love's Labour Lost |
| Brabantio | Othello |
| Brandon | Henry VIII |
| Butts (Dr.) | Henry VIII |
| Caithness | Macbeth |
| Caius | Titus Andronicus |
| Caius (Dr.) | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Caius Lucius | Cymbeline |
| Caius Marcius | Coriolanus |
| Caliban | The Tempest |
| Camillo | A Winter's Tale |
| Candidius | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Caphis | Timon of Athens |
| Capucius | Henry VIII |
| Capulet | Romeo & Juliet |
| Cassio | Othello |
| Cato | Julius Caesar |
| Cerimon | Pericles |
| Charles | As You Like It |
| Chatillon | King John |
| Chiron | Titus Andronicus |
| Christophero Sly | Taming of the Shrew |
| Cicero | Julius Caesar |
| Clachas | Troilus & Cressida |
| Claudio | Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Measure |
| Claudius | Hamlet, Julius Caesar |
| Cleomenes | A Winter's Tale |
| Cleon | Pericles |
| Clitus | Julius Caesar |
| Cloten | Cymbeline |
| Cobweb | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Cominius | Coriolanus |
| Conrade | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Corin | As You Like It |
| Cornelius | Hamlet, Cymbeline |
| Costard | Love's Labour Lost |
| Court | Henry V |
| Cranmer | Henry VIII |
| Cromwell | Henry VIII |
| Cupid | Timon of Athens |
| Curan | King Lear |
| Curio | Twelfth Night |
| Curtis | Taming of the Shrew |
| Cymbeline | Cymbeline |
| Decretas | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Deiphobus | Troilus & Cressida |
| Demetrius | Antony & Cleopatra, Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Dennis | As You Like It |
| Diomedes | Antony & Cleopatra, Troilus & Cressida |
| Dion | A Winter's Tale |
| Dogberry | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Dolabella | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Domitus Enobarbus | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Donalbain | Macbeth |
| Dromio | Comedy of Errors |
| Dull | Love's Labour Lost |
| Dumaine | Love's Labour Lost |
| Duncan | Macbeth |
| Durdanius | Julius Caesar |
| Edgar | King Lear |
| Edmund | King Lear |
| Egeus | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Eglamour | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Elbow | Measure for Measure |
| Eros | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Escalus | Measure for Measure, Romeo & Juliet |
| Escanes | Pericles |
| Fabian | Twelfth Night |
| Falstaff (Sir John) | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Fenton | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Ferdinand | The Tempest, Love's Labour Lost |
| Feste | Twelfth Night |
| Flavius | Timon of Athens |
| Fleance | Macbeth |
| Floritzel | A Winter's Tale |
| Fluellen | Henry V |
| Ford | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Fortinbras | Hamlet |
| Francis (Friar) | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Francisco | Hamlet, The Tempest |
| Frederick | As You Like It |
| Froth | Measure for Measure |
| Gallus | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Gonzalo | The Tempest |
| Gower | Henry V |
| Grandpré | Henry V |
| Gratiano | Merchant of Venice, Othello |
| Gregory | Romeo & Juliet |
| Gremio | Taming of the Shrew |
| Griffith | Henry VIII |
| Grumio | Taming of the Shrew |
| Guiderius | Cymbeline |
| Guildenstern | Hamlet |
| Hamlet | Hamlet |
| Hector | Troilus & Cressida |
| Helenus | Troilus & Cressida |
| Helicanus | Pericles |
| Holgernes | Love's Labour Lost |
| Horatio | Hamlet |
| Hortensio | Taming of the Shrew |
| Hortensius | Timon of Athens |
| Hugh Evans (Sir) | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Hymen | As You Like It |
| Iachima | Cymbeline |
| Iago | Othello |
| Jamy | Henry V |
| Jaques | As You Like It |
| John (Don) | Much Ado About Nothing |
| John (Friar) | Romeo & Juliet |
| Julius Caesar | Julius Caesar |
| Junius Brutus | Coriolanus |
| Laertes | Hamlet |
| Lartius | Coriolanus |
| Launce | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Launcelot Gobbo | Merchant of Venice |
| Laurence (Friar) | Romeo & Juliet |
| Lear (King) | King Lear |
| LeBeau | As You Like It |
| Lennox | Macbeth |
| Leonardo | Merchant of Venice |
| Leonato | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Leonine | Pericles |
| Leontes | A Winter's Tale |
| Lodovico | Othello |
| Longaville | Love's Labour Lost |
| Lorenzo | Merchant of Venice |
| Lucentio | Taming of the Shrew |
| Lucio | Measure for Measure |
| Lucius | Julius Caesar, Timon of Athens, Titus Andronicus |
| Lucullus | Timon of Athens |
| Lymoges | King John |
| Lysander | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Lysimachus | Pericles |
| Macbeth | Macbeth |
| Macduff | Macbeth |
| Macmorris | Henry V |
| Malvolio | Twelfth Night |
| Mamillius | A Winter's Tale |
| Marcade | Love's Labour Lost |
| Marcellus | Hamlet |
| Marcus Andonicus | Titus Andronicus |
| Marcus Antonius | Julius Caesar |
| Marcus Brutus | Julius Caesar |
| Mardian | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Margarelon | Troilus & Cressida |
| Mark Antony | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Martius | Titus Andronicus |
| Mecaenus | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Melun | King John |
| Menas | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Menecrates | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Menelaus | Troilus & Cressida |
| Menenius Velutus | Coriolanus |
| Menteith | Macbeth |
| Mercutio | Romeo & Juliet |
| Messala | Julius Caesar |
| Montague | Romeo & Juliet |
| Montano | Othello |
| Moth | Midsummer Night's Dream, Love's Labour Lost |
| Mountjoy | Henry V |
| Mustardseed | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Mutius | Titus Andronicus |
| Nathaniel | Love's Labour Lost |
| Nestor | Troilus & Cressida |
| Nym | Henry V, Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Oberon | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Octavius | Julius Caesar |
| Octavius Caesar | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Oliver Martext (Sir) | As You Like It |
| Olivier | As You Like It |
| Orlando | As You Like It |
| Orsino | Twelfth Night |
| Osric | Hamlet |
| Oswald | King Lear |
| Othello | Othello |
| Pandarus | Troilus & Cressida |
| Panthino | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Paris | Romeo & Juliet, Troilus & Cressida |
| Patroclus | Troilus & Cressida |
| Peaseblossom | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Pedro (Don) | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Pericles | Pericles |
| Peter | Romeo & Juliet |
| Peter (Friar) | Measure for Measure |
| Petruchio | Taming of the Shrew |
| Philario | Cymbeline |
| Philemon | Pericles |
| Philo | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Philostrate | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Philotus | Timon of Athens |
| Pinch | Comedy of Errors |
| Pindarus | Julius Caesar |
| Pisanio | Cymbeline |
| Pistol | Henry V, Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Polixenes | A Winter's Tale |
| Polonius | Hamlet |
| Popilius Lena | Julius Caesar |
| Posthumus Leonatus | Cymbeline |
| Priam | Troilus & Cressida |
| Proculeius | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Prospero | The Tempest |
| Proteus | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Publius | Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus |
| Puck | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Quince | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Quintus | Titus Andronicus |
| Rambures | Henry V |
| Reynaldo | Hamlet |
| Robin | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Robin Goodfellow (Puck) | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Roderigo | Othello |
| Romeo | Romeo & Juliet |
| Rosencrantz | Hamlet |
| Ross | Macbeth |
| Rugby | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Sampson | Romeo & Juliet |
| Saturninus | Titus Andronicus |
| Scarus | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Sebastian | The Tempest, Twelfth Night |
| Seleucus | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Sempronius | Timon of Athens, Titus Andronicus |
| Sextus Pompeius | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Seyton | Macbeth |
| Shallow | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Shylock | Merchant of Venice |
| Silvius | As You Like It |
| Simonides | Pericles |
| Simple | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Siward | Macbeth |
| Slender | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Snout | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Snug | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Solanio | Merchant of Venice |
| Solinus | Comedy of Errors |
| Speed | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Starveling | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Stephano | Merchant of Venice, The Tempest |
| Strato | Julius Caesar |
| Taurus | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Thaliard | Pericles |
| Thersites | Troilus & Cressida |
| Theseus | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Thidias | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Thomas (Friar) | Measure for Measure |
| Thomas Erpingham (Sir) | Henry V |
| Thurio | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Timon | Timon of Athens |
| Titus | Coriolanus, Timon of Athens |
| Titus Andronicus | Titus Andronicus |
| Toby Belch (Toby) | Twelfth Night |
| Touchstone | As You Like It |
| Tranio | Taming of the Shrew |
| Trinculo | The Tempest |
| Tubal | Merchant of Venice |
| Tullus Aufidus | Coriolanus |
| Tybalt | Romeo & Juliet |
| Ulysses | Troilus & Cressida |
| Valentine | Titus Andronicus, Twelfth Night, Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Varrius | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Ventidius | Timon of Athens, Antony & Cleopatra |
| Verges | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Vernon | King Henry VI |
| Vincentio | Measure for Measure, Taming of the Shrew |
| Voltimand | Hamlet |
| William | As You Like It |
| Adriana | Comedy of Errors |
|---|---|
| Aemilia | Comedy of Errors |
| Alice | Henry IV |
| Andromache | Troilus & Cressida |
| Anne Page | Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Audrey | As You Like It |
| Beatrice | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Bianca | Taming of the Shrew, Othello |
| Calpurnia | Julius Caesar |
| Cassandra | Troilus & Cressida |
| Celia | As You Like It |
| Ceres | The Tempest |
| Charmian | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Cleopatra | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Constance | King John |
| Cordelia | King Lear |
| Cressida | Troilus & Cressida |
| Desdemona | Othello |
| Diana | All's Well that Ends Well, Pericles |
| Dionyza | Pericles |
| Dorcas | Winter's Tale |
| Emilia | Winter's Tale, Othello |
| Francisca | Measure for Measure |
| Gertrude | Hamlet |
| Goneril | King Lear |
| Helen | Troilus & Cressida, Cymbeline |
| Helena | Midsummer Night's Dream, All's Well that Ends Well |
| Hermia | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Hermione | Winter's Tale |
| Hero | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Hippolyta | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Imogen | Cymbeline |
| Iras | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Iris | The Tempest |
| Isabella | Measure for Measure |
| Jessica | Merchant of Venice |
| Julia | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Juliet | Romeo & Juliet, Measure for Measure |
| Juno | The Tempest |
| Katharina | Taming of the Shrew |
| Lavinia | Titua Andronicus |
| Luce | Comedy of Errors |
| Lucetta | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Luciana | Comedy of Errors |
| Lychorinda | Pericles |
| Margaret | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Maria | Twelfth Night |
| Mariana | All's Well that Ends Well, Measure for Measure |
| Marina | Pericles |
| Miranda | The Tempest |
| Mopsa | Winter's Tale |
| Nerissa | Merchant of Venice |
| Octavia | Antony & Cleopatra |
| Olivia | Twelfth Night |
| Ophelia | Hamlet |
| Patience | Henry VIII |
| Paulina | Winter's Tale |
| Perdita | Winter's Tale |
| Phebe | As You Like It |
| Phrynia | Timon of Athens |
| Portia | Merchant of Venice, Julius Caesar |
| Quickly (Mistress) | Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry IV |
| Regan | King Lear |
| Rosalind | As You Like It |
| Rosaline | Romeo & Juliet |
| Silvia | Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Tamora | Titua Andronicus |
| Thaisa | Pericles |
| Timandra | Timon of Athens |
| Titania | Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Ursula | Much Ado About Nothing |
| Valeria | Coriolanus |
| Viola | Twelfth Night |
| Violenta | All's Well that Ends Well |
| Virgilia | Coriolanus |
| Volumnia | Coriolanus |