Shakespearean Names?

[LadyCressida]

My family have a tradition of using Shakespearean names but I'm not sure there are any left that are any good! Can anyone suggest any they think are nice?

I've had a good idea for a boy, but if I have a girl I am a bit stuck!

My name is Cressida and also already taken are Cordelia, Hermione, Ophelia, Phyllida and Imogen.

Perhaps I will just have to widen the theme to literary or mythological names...

Cheers!

[Iklboo]

Emilia (Mrs Iago)
Getrude
Helena
Isabella
Katherina
Lavinia

(not a Bard Buff - I looked at this site )

[Lionstar]

Juliet, Hero, Beatrice, Dorcas, Nerissa, Rosalind, Viola ...

[Heated]

What a lovely tradition!

Personal favourites are Helena & the feisty and quick-witted Beatrice/

Others:
Rosaline/d
Emilia
Iris
Jessica
Miranda
Phoebe
Viola
Perdita (although maybe ppl think dalmations these days!)
Katherine
Juliet
Constance
Alice

[GhoulsAreLoud]

I know a Juliet with a sister called Miranda, those are both nice.

[sayanything]

Ooh, tons:

Helena
Mariana
Valeria
Constance
Isabella
Nerissa
Hermia
Beatrice
Emilia
Marina

and I've always loved Ariel

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

I really like Phoebe for its Shakespearean vibe, but DP doesn't really like it because he thinks everyone will think of Phoebe from Friends. Prob I should start separate thread (sorry OP) but I'm curious whether he's right.

[SerenityNowAKABleh]

Just don't use Dorcas. Please. For the child's sake.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

In addition to the others:

Desdemona
Regan
Calpurnia

However I wouldn't use any of those, Regan is vile and the others have not nice connotations iirc.

Christ I thought I had loads of others when I started this post.

Oh well.

[LadyCressida]

Cheers guys.

I really like Emilia which is probably a good balance of unusual without being too pretentious (my child will have to go to a normal school!)

Isabella is nice too but I worry it might suddenly become hugely popular because of Twilight. Lots of Shakesperean names are lovely but aren't obviously Shakesperean any more - sadly I think Perdita will always be a dogs name. And I really like Phoebe too but worry about the Friends connection! (As a non shakesperean aside I also used to really like Sabrina but the teenage witch has ruined it forever!)

Ariel is cool too - perhaps a bit mermaidy but is that a bad thing?!

[Orangesarenottheonlyfruit]

Just thought I'd add Hero, as my favourite Shakes name.

[PheasantPlucker]

I really wanted Orlando when I was pregnant.

Dh disagreed.

Mainly because dc1 was a girl.

[AuldAlliance]

Goneril.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

OOH Portia. That's a nice name. If you can get past the numbnuts who think you have named your daughter after a car.

[stressheaderic]

Loads of great ones there, Juliet and Iris being my favourites.
My nana was called Constance which I think is lovely and unusual.
Isabella very very popular now.

[LuckyC]

Portia is gorgeous. Ditto Miranda.

[TeddyBare]

I love shakespearean names and wanted dd to have one but my in laws are German and could only pronounce the ones I didn't like properly (along with most Germans I think) so we scrapped the idea. If you google search it there are loads of websites full of suggestions.
What is the boy name btw?

[MummyTumble]

Olivia and Viola from 12th Night..

[MaggieMnaSneachta]

Juliet and Phoebe are lovely, with Iris/Hero as mn.

Isabella is already really popular.

Beatrice and Cordelia are lovely too...

Juliet Iris is my favourite combo

[LadyCressida]

Love Juliet but scared it will get automatically shortened to Jules which I really don't like.

Also like Viola - plus she's a really nice character in the play - but surname begins with a D and I don't think having initials VD is a good idea.

Boys name (I'm scared to write it just in case someone I know somehow finds I've written this and then it spoils the surprise!) - we both like is Hal which is Shakespeare's name for Henry V. I don't know if it would be short for Harry or Henry... I prefer Harry but it's v popular at the mo ... so still dilemma there!

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

DD sits next to a Hal in Chemistry

[sayanything]

Lockets, I love Lysander (although it reminds me more of Jilly Cooper than Shakespeare, but that just shows what my cultural references are).

But my DH is Greek and, weirdly, it would be really poncey in Greek he says. Which is odd, because Achilles or Socrates or Plato are perfectly acceptable.

Love Hal too.

[Wattinger]

Hal is an excellent name, please pick that one!!!!