What nickname is William Shakespeare fondly known as?

Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and nicknamed the Bard of Avon.

Bard is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word “bard,” meaning poet. In medieval England and Ireland, bards were traveling poets (also known as wandering minstrels) who wrote and recited heroically or poems, while playing a lyre or harp, often in exchange for money. Regarded by English scholars as to the greatest and most influential poet in the English language, it is fitting that William Shakespeare is simply known as the Bard (or “The Bard”).

The Bard of Avon: A variation of the first name using Avon to designate the river that flows through Stratford, his birthplace and hometown.

William Shakespeare can be described as a ‘prolific’ author. He not only wrote plays, he also was an actor. Although William made his living in London, his wife and family remained in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare was born and raised there and in 1597 bought one of the largest homes in the town.