Alliteration is a literary device that involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds of nearby words in a phrase. It is often used to give phrases and sentences rhythm, making it a popular device for poets, speech writers, and playwrights. Alliteration can be used to create a musical, lyrical, or emotional effect in writing. Examples of alliteration include "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" and "wild and woolly". Alliteration can also be used in names, such as the unbroken series of 9th century kings of Wessex named Æthelwulf, Æthelbald, Æthelberht, and Æthelred. It is important to note that alliteration refers to the repetition of a letter in any syllables that, according to the poems meter, are stressed.