How do people prove that William Shakespeare even exists?

There is a great amount of evidence suggesting William Shakespeare existed as a playwright, poet and actor. Some of the key evidence includes:

- Baptismal records from Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon which show William Shakespeare was born on April 26, 1564.

- Records of Shakespeare's marriage to Anne Hathaway in 1582.

- Numerous documents and legal papers that mention Shakespeare's name and existence, such as his will.

- Publication of his works, including the First Folio of 1623, which contains many of Shakespeare's plays.

- Contemporaneous accounts and references to Shakespeare by other writers, such as Ben Jonson and Francis Meres.

- Historical records of Shakespeare's involvement in the theater world, including his involvement with the Lord Chamberlain's Men and the Globe Theatre.

- His death certificate at Holy Trinity Church in 1616.