All’s fair in love and baptism when it comes to choosing a Shakespeare-inspired name for your offspring. Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, daughter of the Marquess of Milford Haven, welcomed her second child with husband Alexander ‘Alick’ Dru in March this year, and the couple chose an unusual moniker for their son: Aubero (nicknamed Albie by his nearest and dearest).
The elite have long looked to England’s most famous wordsmith for classic names with a hint of low-falutin’ charm. Take society darling Beatrice Borromeo, jewelery designer Jessica McCormack or Olivia Henson, the current Duchess of Westminster, all of whom share a nickname with Shakespeare’s heroine. The boys could take after Orlando Getty or Romeo, arguably the finest of the young Beckhams – although we hope the high-born Yorick will be announced one day.
Family ties
When all else fails, a true patrician can always fall back on their ancestral names to ensure that their children enjoy an iron kinship. The British royals are masters of this genre, with too many Elizabeths, Charless, William’s and Henry’s over the centuries to count – which means you won’t see too many Arlos in the court circular.
Of course, distinguished English families have followed suit over the years: think the Harmsworths, who pass the Vere name down through the generations, or David and Jemima Tollemache, who have recently named their son Nicholas in honor of his paternal lineage. While some might call going back to the last name a little (whisper it) boring, we call it eternally smart.