Ophelia

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Greek

Meaning: “Help.”

Pronunciation: (oh-FEE-lee-ah)

Nicknames: Ophie, Phe, Lia,

Detail: Derived from Greek ophelos meaning “help”.

This name was probably created by the 15th-century poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem “Arcadia”.

It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play Hamlet, in which it belongs to Hamlet’s lover who eventually goes insane and drowns herself.

Variations:

• Ofélia (Portugese)
• Ofelia (Spanish, Italian)
• Ophelia (English)
• Ophélie (French) [oh-fay-LEE]

Ursula

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Little bear.”

Pronunciation: (UR-suh-lah)

Nicknames: Ursa, Sula, Ulla

Deatail: Saint Ursula is a Chistian saint.

In Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Ursula is a waiting-gentlewoman attendant on Leonato’s daughter, Hero.

In the Harry Potter series, Ursula Black is the wife of Phineas Nigellus Black, a former Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Horatio

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Time, hour.”

Pronunciation: (hoh-RAY-shee-oh)

Nicknames: Hod, Hoss, Hoke, Horo, Haro, Hugh, Huey

Osric

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: “Divine ruler.”

Pronunciation: (AWZ-rik)

Nicknames: Oz, Ozzy

Detail: Osrick is a courtier, treated with contempt by Hamlet in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Agrippa

Gender: Masculine & Feminine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Feet first.”

Pronunciation: (ah-GRIH-pah)

Nicknames: Rippa, Pippa

Mercutio

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Mercury.”

Pronunciation: (mur-KYOO-shee-oh)

Nicknames: Mac, Mek, Merk, Merro, Murry, Cue, Tio

Detail: The name comes from Mercury, the Roman messenger god.

Mercutio is a character of Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet”.

“If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking and you beat love down.”

Miranda

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Adorable.”

Pronunciation: (mih-RAN-da)

Nicknames: Mira, Miri, Mia,

Detail: The name is derived from the root word mirari “to admire; to wonder at”; it was invented by Shakespeare for the daughter of Prospero in his play The Tempest.

Miranda is the smallest and innermost of Uranus’ five major moons.

Imogen

Imogen Morris-Clarke

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Gaelic

Meaning: “Maiden; Innocent.”

Pronunciation: (IM-oh-jen)

Nicknames: Immy, Immo, Imzy

Detail: Imogen was the daughter of King Cymbeline, in Shakespeare’s play, Cymbeline.

Benvolio

A Special Moment by Emile Munier

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “Affectionate; benevolent.”

Pronunciation: (ben-VOH-lee-oh); (ben-VOL-yo)

Nicknames: Ben, Volo

Detail: In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin and close friend

Hermione

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Greek

Meaning: “Messenger; travel.”

Pronunciation: (her-MY-oh-nee)

Nicknames: Hermi, Hero, Mione, Mia, Hera, Io

Detail: Hermione Jean Granger is one of the three main characters in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.