Banquo
Scottish, "white hound"
If you’ve ever studied or watched Shakespeare’s Macbeth, you might recognize Banquo as the close friend of the play’s central character. Portrayed as the wise, virtuous, and ghostly foil to Macbeth, this literary name might feel like an unlikely option — but hear me out on Banquo:
It’s a Shakespearean choice, just like Ophelia, Juliet, Lysander, Beatrice, Imogen, Sebastian, and Romeo.
It has similar sounds to contemporary favorites like Banks, Brooks, Beckett Brandon, and Banner
But also has the older feel of Barnabas, Bartholomew, Baldwin, and Tarquin.
It has the totally stylish -o ending of Leo, Milo, Arlo, Bruno, Rocco, Lando, and similar.
It’s got a cool letter thrown in, like Quinn and Quincey, Lennox and Azariah.
It’s recognizable but totally rare.
Would you dare to name your son Banquo as an unexpected way to nickname Bo? Could it catch on? Probably not, but I do still find it an interesting one to ponder.
What’s your favorite literary name? Send it to grace@nameberry.com and tell me why you love it, for a chance to see it featured on Nameberry of the Day!
