The Harlequin is the most popular of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'Arte.
Although illustrations of Arlecchino have only been dated as far back as 1572, Halequin existed before then. The origins of the name are uncertain: some say it comes from Dante's Inferno, XXI, XXII and XXIII; one of the devils is called Alichino. Others say it could come from Harlenkoenig, a Scandinavian hero. Another hypothesis states that the name is derived from Harlay, an English gentleman of the court of Henri III, who had protected an Italian actor. Still another unproveable theory states that it came from Old High German Karalchin (little man).