Names from Shakespeare's plays for your pet
Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.
William Shakespeare's plays, written about 400 years ago, have pet names in them. In The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Launce has a dog called Crab who comes on stage. In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio calls Tybalt the 'Prince of Cats', and A Midsummer Night's Dream has fairies small enough for a hamster's name.
20 names, good for any pet.
| Shortlist | Name | Boy or girl | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crab | Boy | Launce's dog in The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Great for a dog. | |
| Tybalt | Boy | Called the 'Prince of Cats' in Romeo and Juliet. Great for a cat. | |
| Puck | Boy | The mischievous fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream. | |
| Titania | Girl | Queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream. | |
| Oberon | Boy | King of the fairies in the same play. | |
| Peaseblossom | Girl | One of Titania's tiny fairies. Great for a hamster, mouse, rat or gerbil or fish. | |
| Mustardseed | Either | Another of Titania's tiny fairies. Great for a hamster, mouse, rat or gerbil or fish. | |
| Cobweb | Either | A third tiny fairy, for a pet who gets into corners. | |
| Bottom | Boy | The weaver who is given a donkey's head for a night. | |
| Ariel | Either | The airy spirit in The Tempest. Great for a bird. | |
| Miranda | Girl | Prospero's daughter in The Tempest. | |
| Prospero | Boy | The magician of The Tempest. | |
| Hamlet | Boy | The Prince of Denmark: a grand name for a Great Dane. Great for a dog. | |
| Juliet | Girl | From Romeo and Juliet. | |
| Romeo | Boy | From Romeo and Juliet. | |
| Beatrice | Girl | The quick-witted heroine of Much Ado About Nothing. | |
| Benedick | Boy | Beatrice's match in wit in the same play. | |
| Viola | Girl | The shipwrecked heroine of Twelfth Night. | |
| Falstaff | Boy | The big, jolly knight who loves a feast. Great for a dog or cat. | |
| Rosalind | Girl | The clever heroine of As You Like It. |
Tick the names you like, then take them to a family vote.