With the due date for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s third child looming, the public is placing bets on what they think the next royal name will be. Kensington Palace announced back on September 4, 2017 that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting the child this April.
Baby name bets
According to Ladbrokes, a British-based betting and gambling company, the odds are even when it comes to whether or not the royal couple will have a boy or girl. Like the name, the public will likely not know the gender until the baby is actually born. With the gender not yet revealed, Ladbrokes has revealed the top boys and girls names that the public are putting their money on.
Top boy names:
- Arthur
- Albert
- Frederick
- Henry
- James
Top girl names:
- Mary
- Alice
- Victoria
- Alexandra
- Diana
Tradition or trend?
If the royal couple opts for any of these top names, they will be following tradition over trend. Only half of the top 10 names listed are found on Babycentre’s lists of the top 100 UK baby names of 2017.
James is the trendiest of the names as the 15th most popular baby boy name. Henry followed at number 22, Arthur at 28, and Albert at 82. Frederick did not make the list.
For girls’ names, only Alice made the popular baby names list at number 23.
Instead of following trend, the top picks reflect names that have frequented the Royal Family for decades – and in some cases, centuries.
The name Mary has made a recent spike in support this month, surpassing Alice as the top baby name. Mary could be an ode to the baby’s great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, whose second middle name is Mary. It was also the name of the Queen’s grandmother, Queen Mary of Teck.
Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes told CTVNews.ca via e-mail the sudden increase of bets on the name caught the company by surprise.
“The sudden popularity of Mary forced the odds from 20/1 into 3/1 in just 24 hours, making it the new favourite to be the name of choice, should the Duchess give birth to another girl, of course,” said Bridge.
Popular choice Alice was the name chosen for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s second daughter. It was also the name of Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Arthur, the most popular pick for boys’ names currently, was also the name of one of Queen Victoria’s sons. There is also, of course, the legendary King Arthur of ancient Britain.
The royal naming tradition
If betting on a potential name for the future royal baby, one should take into account William and Kate’s previous traditional and significant choices for their children.
From left: 1. King George VI looking out from a Buckingham Palace window on April 20, 1948 (AP Photo) 2. Queen Victoria (National Archives of Canada) 3. Prince William in Sandringham, England on Dec. 25, 2017 (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Prince George’s full name is George Alexander Louis. There are many Georges in the royal family lineage, including most recently King George VI who was Queen Elizabeth’s father.
Renditions of George’s first middle name, Alexander, have been seen throughout royal history, with Alexandra being Queen Elizabeth’s first middle name and Alexandrina being Queen Victoria’s first name.
The name Louis may be a nod to Prince Phillip’s uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten. It could also be a reference to Prince George’s father’s full name, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis.
From left: 1. Painting of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, circa 1768-1769 (National Portrait Gallery, Nathaniel-Dance Holland, Public Domain) 2. Queen Elizabeth II visits HMS Sutherland, a Type 23 frigate, in the West India Dock, London, Monday Oct. 23 2017.(Arthur Edwards / Pool Photo via AP) 3. Diana, Princess of Wales, is show in this November, 1995 file photo (AP Photo/Eduardo Di Baia)
Prince George’s little sister’s full name is Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. There have been several Charlottes throughout royal history, including Queen Charlotte who reigned until her death in 1818. Charlotte is also the middle name of Kate’s sister, Pippa.
Elizabeth is a nod to Princess Charlotte’s great-grandmother and current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. It is also the middle name of both Kate and Kate’s mother, Carole.
Diana, of course, is a tribute to Prince William’s late mother Princess Diana.
Brits and bidding wars
This isn’t the first time the British have placed their bets on a royal name. Back in 2013, top picks were George, James, and Alexander for Prince George. In 2015, top names were Charlotte, Alice, and, Elizabeth for Princess Charlotte.
Bridge says British people love a novelty bet, but when it comes to the royals, she believes there’s a particular interest.
“Some people love the monarchy and others loathe it, but I think it's because they have such an important role in our lives one way or another, and this child could be our future King or Queen,” said Bridge, “so it's fun to feel involved somehow and placing a small wager on what the child is called ticks that box.”
There is speculation that William and Kate’s third child will arrive in early April as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced their wedding on May 19, 2018.
