How many ways are there to write 'Shakespeare'?

Answer 1

Modern convention is that his name should be spelled "Shakespeare" but that convention had not been established in Shakespeare's day, when the name was spelled in many different ways. Here are some:

Shakespere, Shakespear, Shakspeare, Shackspeare, Shakspere, Shackespeare, Shackspere, Shackespere, Shaxspere, Shexpere, Shaxpere, Shagspere, Shaksper, Shaxpeare, Shaxper, Shake-speare, Shaxberd, Shak-speare, Shakspear, Shaksper, Shakespheare

The most popular apart from Shakespeare, which has always been the favoured spelling, were Shakespere, Shake-speare, Shakespear and Shakspeare. Notwithstanding the fact that he was part owner of the Globe Theatre, the variant "Shake-sphere" is not found.