<P> "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is a popular reference to William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet seems to argue that it does not matter that Romeo is from her family's rival house of Montague, that is, that he is named "Montague". The reference is often used to imply that the names of things do not affect what they really are . This formulation is, however, a paraphrase of Shakespeare's actual language . Juliet compares Romeo to a rose saying that if he was not named Romeo he would still be handsome and be Juliet's love . This states that if he was not Romeo, then he would not be a Montague and she would be able to get married with no problem at all . </P> <P> In Act II, Scene II of the play, the line is said by Juliet in reference to Romeo's house, Montague which would imply that his name means nothing and they should be together . </P>

What does the phrase by any other name mean