A Name for a Royal Baby

What’s in a name? That by which we call a rose by another other name would still smell as sweet.

That is, unless the name is Pilot Inspektor.

Naming a royal baby is no easy task, and with Royal Baby Fever in full force, there is no better time to examine the procedure of naming a royal baby. Baby Cambridge, as he/she is affectionately called, will not only be the world’s favorite baby, but it will be third in line to the throne. In fifth years, he/she will be the monarch of the United Kingdom.

Apple, Jayden and Zuma simply won’t cut it. There will never be a Queen Moxie or a King Axl. Naming a royal baby is a serious task. You should honor the right people, keep up with the times and stick with tradition.

Honor the Right People

Royal baby names often honor relatives and loved ones. William was named after Prince Charles’ beloved cousin, who died very young. William’s third name, Philip, is an obvious homage to his grandfather. Harry’s first name, Henry, is a very regal name with royal ties, his second name is Charles after his father and his third name is Albert, the birth name of Queen Elizabeth’s father. Her Majesty was named after her mother and, arguably, the first Queen Elizabeth. So, you see a pattern? Often, the Royal Baby’s name will have family ties of those closest to the parents. Potential names for honoring family members:

• Elizabeth
• Frances/Francis (Princess Diana’s middle name, Diana’s mother’s name, Michael Middleton’s middle name)
• Carole
• Charles
• Philip/Philipa (for Prince Philip and for Phillipa, Kate’s sister!)
• Michael
• James

Keep Up with the Times

Royal Baby Names must also make sense when the baby is born. If Prince William was named Prince Bartholomew, it really wouldn’t have made sense. Parents don’t want a fuddy-duddy old name for their new bundle of joy. After all, they’re young and hip themselves. Historically, the chosen names for royal babies aren’t too far off the popularity charts.

• Margaret was the 5th most popular name at the time of Princess Margaret’s birth in 1930
• The name “Anne” hit a spike in popularity during the late 1940’s, remaining well within the Top 100 Girl’s Names
• In 1977, “Peter” was a widely popular name sitting at number 55 – perhaps inspired by The Brady Bunch?

Stick With Tradition

While we should look forward to a relatively current name, we certainly won’t see anything too trendy. William and Catherine won’t choose Liam, Madison, Chloe or Aiden for the heir to the British throne. The Cambridges will probably choose a name steeped in tradition, found somewhere within their family tree. Here are our favorite trendy yet traditional potential baby names:

• Helena
• Arthur
• Marie
• Alice
• Alfred
• Eleanor

In the end, soon enough, William and Catherine will choose a beautiful name for their first child. It may not be the crowd favorite “Alexandra” or “George,” and it may not be our favorite, but we will welcome the baby with delight and excitement!