British Royal Baby Naming!

General Name Discussion
1

So, as everyone seems to be excited about, [name]Prince[/name] [name]William[/name] and [name]Kate[/name] Middleton are finally engaged! This got me to thinking: what will they name their future children? I’d like anyone who wants to participate to make a [name]Windsor[/name]-worthy boy/girl name set they find the best!

Things to note:
Full names of “parents”-
[name]Catherine[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] Middleton “[name]Kate[/name]”
[name]William[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] [name]Philip[/name] [name]Louis[/name] [name]Windsor[/name] “[name]Wills[/name]” (or so says Wikipedia)

Other grandchildren of [name]Elizabeth[/name] II-
[name]Henry[/name] [name]Charles[/name] [name]Albert[/name] [name]David[/name] [name]Windsor[/name] “[name]Harry[/name]”
[name]Peter[/name] [name]Mark[/name] [name]Andrew[/name] [name]Phillips[/name]
[name]Zara[/name] [name]Anne[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Phillips[/name]
[name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Windsor[/name]
[name]Eugenie[/name] [name]Victoria[/name] [name]Helena[/name] [name]Windsor[/name]
[name]Louise[/name] [name]Alice[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Windsor[/name]
[name]James[/name] [name]Alexander[/name] [name]Philip[/name] [name]Theo[/name] [name]Windsor[/name]

So, as you can see, the names are generally very traditional, with a hint of British-quirkiness mixed in. Most of them have two or three middle names, to which I say, if you’re royal, why not??

My personal vote goes to:
[name]Princess[/name] [name]Florence[/name] [name]Adelaide[/name] [name]Regina[/name] [name]Artemis[/name] [name]Windsor[/name] “[name]Flora[/name]” ([name]Florence[/name] fits in with the quirky-ladylike [name]Beatrice[/name]/[name]Eugenie[/name] names; [name]Adelaide[/name] is a name found throughout the British royal line; [name]Regina[/name] means “queen”–so, an unusual way to honor the grandmother; [name]Artemis[/name], the Greek equivalent to [name]Roman[/name] goddess [name]Diana[/name], would pay homage to [name]William[/name]'s mother)
&
[name]Prince[/name] [name]Edmund[/name] [name]Rhys[/name] [name]Philip[/name] [name]Geoffrey[/name] [name]Windsor[/name] “[name]Eddie[/name]/[name]Ed[/name]” ([name]Edward[/name] is the quintessential British ruler name, so why not handsomer cousin [name]Edmund[/name]? [name]Rhys[/name], a Welsh name, is fitting for the future [name]Prince[/name] of [name]Wales[/name]; I find [name]Philip[/name] my favorite regularly-used royal name; I’ve always had a soft spot for [name]Geoffrey[/name]–but only this spelling)

What do you think, folks?
NameGoddess

2

I actually think that [name]Kate[/name] and [name]Wills[/name] are much more no-nonsense and traditional, and I think that will be reflected in their future naming taste…

What I do see is some definite family honoring, as is tradition with royal names. So, names like [name]Elizabeth[/name], [name]Catherine[/name], [name]Diana[/name], [name]Mary[/name], [name]Frances[/name], [name]Alexandra[/name], and perhaps [name]Caroline[/name], to honor [name]Kate[/name]'s mother, [name]Carole[/name], will likely be included for a girl. For a boy, [name]William[/name], [name]Henry[/name], [name]Philip[/name], [name]Charles[/name], [name]Albert[/name], [name]George[/name], [name]Michael[/name], for [name]Kate[/name]'s father, and [name]James[/name], for [name]Kate[/name]'s brother, might be in order.

For first names, I could see something traditionally classic like [name]Anna[/name], [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Emma[/name], [name]Isabel[/name], [name]Julia[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Rose[/name], [name]Sarah[/name], or [name]Sophia[/name] or perhaps slightly more vintage-British, along the lines of [name]Annabel[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Cecelia[/name], [name]Emmeline[/name], [name]Georgiana[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Josephine[/name], [name]Lydia[/name], [name]Ramona[/name], or [name]Violet[/name]. For boys, classics like [name]Alexander[/name], [name]Benjamin[/name], [name]Christian[/name], [name]David[/name], [name]Elliot[/name], [name]Francis[/name], [name]Frederick[/name], [name]Joseph[/name], [name]Lucas[/name], [name]Matthew[/name], [name]Maxwell[/name], [name]Nicholas[/name], [name]Paul[/name], [name]Samuel[/name], and [name]Thomas[/name], or maybe something more vintage like [name]Alistair[/name], [name]Julian[/name], [name]Leopold[/name], [name]Maximilian[/name], [name]Nathaniel[/name], [name]Oliver[/name], or [name]Theodore[/name] might be in order.

So, for a girl, I could see [name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Diana[/name] [name]Windsor[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Catherine[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Windsor[/name], and [name]Lucy[/name] [name]Alexandra[/name] [name]Caroline[/name] [name]Windsor[/name]. For a boy, I think [name]David[/name] [name]Henry[/name] [name]Charles[/name] [name]Windsor[/name], [name]Frederick[/name] [name]William[/name] [name]George[/name] [name]Windsor[/name], and [name]Joseph[/name] [name]Michael[/name] [name]Philip[/name] [name]Windsor[/name] would be fitting for the son of [name]Wills[/name] and [name]Kate[/name]. I absolutely think that [name]Elizabeth[/name] will be used in the first daughter’s name, considering it is [name]Kate[/name]'s middle name, the queen’s first name, and the late queen mum’s first name. I also wouldn’t be surprised if [name]William[/name] chooses to honor [name]Diana[/name] with either her first or middle name, [name]Frances[/name].

Fun topic!

[name]Lemon[/name] :slight_smile:

3

Here are my guesses if they have a girl:

[name]Caroline[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Diana[/name] [name]Frances[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Diana[/name] [name]Rose[/name]
[name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Diana[/name] [name]Catherine[/name]

4

I’ve been thinking about this, too, and I definitely think they will keep to traditional, royal names. A few ideas:

[name]Charlotte[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Catherine[/name] [name]Diana[/name]
[name]Caroline[/name] [name]Arabella[/name] [name]Frances[/name] [name]Victoria[/name]
[name]Edmund[/name] [name]Philip[/name] [name]William[/name] [name]Charles[/name]
[name]James[/name] [name]Henry[/name] [name]Arthur[/name] [name]George[/name]

5

I’m hoping that they’ll choose to honour his late mother [name]Diana[/name] , the [name]Princess[/name] of [name]Wales[/name] since everyone else in the [name]Royal[/name] Family has tried to wipe her off the history books. Perhaps [name]Diana[/name] would be better as a middle name because if they chose it for a first name she would always be compared to her grandmother. Oh God, [name]Diana[/name] as a grandmother! But I think they will name a daugher [name]Charlotte[/name] to honour his father, definitely [name]Elizabeth[/name] will be in there as a middle, probably [name]Victoria[/name] after [name]Queen[/name] [name]Victoria[/name], [name]Mary[/name] after [name]Queen[/name] [name]Mary[/name] and maybe [name]Louise[/name], [name]Alice[/name], [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name] or [name]Anne[/name]. The [name]Royal[/name] Family are not known for their creative naming as they’re a traditional bunch. For boys, they’ll stick to the tried and true - all former [name]King[/name] names: [name]George[/name], [name]James[/name], [name]Henry[/name], [name]Charles[/name] and the like with [name]Louis[/name], [name]Arthur[/name] and [name]Philip[/name] thrown in the middle for good measure. Oh, how I would love to see [name]King[/name] [name]Oliver[/name] (not going to happen due to [name]Oliver[/name] Cromwell) or [name]King[/name] [name]Sebastian[/name] on the throne! A girl can dream, can’t she?

6

In response to pp”s:

Namegoddess: I love your girl name choices outside of the context of the royal couple in question; I agree with other posters that [name]Will[/name] and [name]Kate[/name] would probably pick names that are more traditional. In addition, Prime Minister [name]David[/name] [name]Cameron[/name] just named his newborn daughter [name]Florence[/name], and for political reasons, I do not imagine that [name]Will[/name] and [name]Kate[/name] would choose [name]Florence[/name] for their daughter—the royal family is not supposed to show preference for any of the three major polital parties, one of which isthe New Labour Party led by [name]Cameron[/name]. [name]May[/name] be a long shot for me to point such a thing out, but the name choice of the Camerons was highly publicized, as will [name]Will[/name] and [name]Kate[/name]”s in the future, and the royal family would not want that connection to be made. Finally, the royal family cannot (I am pretty sure) use [name]Rex[/name] or [name]Regina[/name] within their personal names, because those prefixes are used for the [name]King[/name] and [name]Queen[/name] when they are on the throne”for example, [name]Queen[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] signs legal documents either [name]Elizabeth[/name] R or ER (R standing for [name]Regina[/name]). However, I REALLY like your guess of [name]Edmund[/name]! That was my thought, too.

[name]Lemon[/name]: I definitely agree that the couple would want to use [name]Elizabeth[/name] and [name]Diana[/name]! I really like your guess of [name]Eleanor[/name], very elegant.

Personally, I would love to see the return of the regal [name]Victoria[/name] and [name]Arthur[/name].

7

@danni

I completely agree with your assessment, and good point with [name]Regina[/name] and [name]Rex[/name]. You are absolutely right! As for [name]Edmund[/name], I love it, too, but with [name]William[/name]'s uncle being [name]Prince[/name] [name]Edward[/name], it feels a little close to home - it would make a great middle name, I think! [name]Victoria[/name] is one I hadn’t thought of, but it would be a nice return to glory for the name. I suppose we’ll all have to wait a few years to see, huh?

[name]Lemon[/name] :slight_smile:

8

I’m throwing my hat in the ring for:

[name]Anne[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Diana[/name] [name]Catherine[/name] [name]Windsor[/name]
[name]George[/name] [name]Charles[/name] [name]Edward[/name] [name]James[/name] [name]Windsor[/name]

I may be wrong, but I think 4 names is typical for Princes and Princesses (which their children would be) but [name]Peter[/name] and [name]Zara[/name] are not, that is one reason they have only 3 names.

9

I honestly don’t know if that is the case, but that is a good observation. [name]Queen[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] has just two middle names - [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Alexandra[/name] [name]Mary[/name] - and her sister, [name]Princess[/name] [name]Margaret[/name], has just one - [name]Margaret[/name] [name]Rose[/name].

10

We can definitely mark the name [name]John[/name] off any list as there hasn’t been a [name]King[/name] [name]John[/name] since the first bearer of that name was such a dud. I think if the child is a boy they will definitely stick with family names.

[name]Charles[/name] [name]William[/name] [name]Edward[/name]
[name]William[/name] [name]James[/name] [name]Arthur[/name]
[name]Henry[/name] [name]Edward[/name] [name]Phillip[/name]

[name]Margaret[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Francis[/name]
[name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Francis[/name] [name]Victoria[/name]
[name]Diana[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Rose[/name]

11

Charmed as I am by the notion of a baby [name]Princess[/name] [name]Flora[/name] or young [name]Prince[/name] [name]Nathaniel[/name], I think the couple will stick much closer to tradition, at least with first born children – those most likely to wear the crown. I’m almost sure they will use [name]Elizabeth[/name] and [name]Diana[/name] somewhere in their girls’ names and [name]Charles[/name] in their boys’ names. I think the most likely contender for the first girl is:

[name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Diana[/name] [name]Catherine[/name]

The British have had great luck with their two Queens [name]Elizabeth[/name].

And I think the first boy first name will be [name]Charles[/name], in part because it is uncertain if [name]William[/name]'s father [name]Charles[/name] will ever wear the crown. It would be a nice symbolic gesture on his son’s part to ensure there will be a [name]King[/name] [name]Charles[/name].

If they have a family larger than just a few children, they might go with more contemporary, quirky, British charming choices for those kids. But in this family I think [name]Florence[/name] is a breath-taking risk. Not only that, they have so much family to honor! Think of your own naming dilemmas trying to work in your mother-in-law’s or your favorite brother’s name – then take that to the 10th power.

12

I have been thinking about this for awhile…I think both [name]Elizabeth[/name] and [name]Diana[/name] will be used as middle names…perhaps [name]Katherine[/name] too. My thought for first name for a girl would be either [name]Victoria[/name] or [name]Alexandra[/name]. I agree that the choice will be. traditional…but with a modern sensibility. [name]Both[/name] names have a history in the royal family but have not been used recently yet are very modern sounding. Wonder if the first child is a girl she’ll be the heir…

13

For boys it’s a bit more complicated since the options for first names are fairly limited if we’re talking about the heir…I could see using a new name for a girl even if she is the heir ie [name]Queen[/name] [name]Alexandra[/name] I or [name]Queen[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name] I since there have ben so few regnant queens but I don’t see them choosing a novel name for a boy. As such the options are:

[name]William[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]Stephen[/name]
[name]Richard[/name]
[name]John[/name]
[name]Edward[/name]
[name]James[/name]
[name]Charles[/name]
[name]George[/name]

Of these I think the most likely choices are [name]Edward[/name], [name]George[/name] and [name]James[/name] maybe [name]Charles[/name].
It is possible they would choose a first name not on this list but I would be surprised and their son would almost certainly use one of these names on his accession…Example [name]King[/name] [name]Edward[/name] VIII (who abdicated to marry [name]Wallis[/name] [name]Simpson[/name]) was names [name]David[/name] but assumed the throne as [name]Edward[/name]

14

[name]Lemon[/name], I agree with you that their tastes will fall on the traditional side, especially since [name]William[/name] will be king one day and their future children will be in close line for the throne. I agree with you that [name]Elizabeth[/name] will be one of their daughters’ names, if they have a girl, and I also think you are spot on about them honoring [name]Diana[/name] (as [name]William[/name] already showed he tends to keep her memory alive by giving her ring to [name]Kate[/name]).

This is kind of nit-picky but since this is a naming website just FYI: The children’s last names will NOT be [name]Windsor[/name]. Children of a sovereign (or potential sovereign) do not have last names, as princes are/or princesses. Descendents of [name]Queen[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] II who are NOT styled His or Her [name]Royal[/name] Highness (as these children will be) will bear the surname Mountbatten-[name]Windsor[/name], a decree that was passed in 1960. Interestingly enough, [name]Windsor[/name] was a name the royal family essentially dreamed up because it sounded very “English” during World War I I believe, as [name]Queen[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name]'s family is a branch of the [name]German[/name] house of [name]Saxe[/name]-Coburg and Gotha, and you can imagine the anti-[name]German[/name] feelings in the U.K at the time. Although [name]William[/name] went by [name]Will[/name] [name]Wales[/name] at school, it is not his true surname, he just adopted his title as a last name to blend in more. Sorry for going into all of that, but I’m sort of a history (and name) nerd. :slight_smile:

Oh, and in regards to the number of middle names: I’ve noticed that [name]William[/name] and [name]Harry[/name] have 3, as the sons of a future king, while their cousins [name]Beatrice[/name] and [name]Eugenie[/name] have less (as the children of a second-in-line). I predict these children will have the same number of middle names as [name]William[/name], as they will be children of the king and are of greater importance in the royal line. People have mentioned [name]Queen[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] not having that many and her sister having only 1, but you have to remember she was never supposed to be queen. Her father only became king after her uncle abdicated to marry [name]Wallis[/name] [name]Simpson[/name], and she only became queen when he died. This would be like a childless [name]Charles[/name] removing himself from the line of sucession and [name]Princess[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] becoming queen one day after her father. No one ever expected it.

I’m guessing:

HRH [name]Princess[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Frances[/name] [name]Catherine[/name] [name]Mary[/name]
HRH [name]Princess[/name] [name]Cecily[/name] [name]Diana[/name] [name]Beatrice[/name] [name]Anne[/name]
HRH [name]Prince[/name] [name]George[/name] [name]Henry[/name] [name]Charles[/name] [name]Louis[/name]
HRH [name]Prince[/name] [name]Edward[/name] [name]Albert[/name] [name]Phillip[/name] [name]David[/name]

I can also see [name]Philippa[/name] ([name]Kate[/name]'s sister), [name]Henry[/name], [name]Arthur[/name], [name]James[/name], [name]Albert[/name], [name]Beatrice[/name], [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Mary[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name], and [name]Alice[/name] as first names.

15

[name]Love[/name] this topic! My money would be on [name]Elizabeth[/name] for a girl (as it is the name of [name]William[/name]'s grandmother and great grandmother - who he was v. close to - and [name]Kate[/name]'s middle name) and [name]George[/name] for a boy (as there have been several [name]King[/name] [name]George[/name]'s but not a [name]George[/name] in recent years).

As an interesting fact, apparently [name]Charles[/name] and [name]Diana[/name] considered the name [name]Eleanor[/name] if they had had a girl. Unfortunately, I doubt [name]Kate[/name] & [name]Wills[/name] will use it as [name]Wills[/name] has a cousin called [name]Eleanor[/name] on his mother’s side ([name]Diana[/name]'s sister [name]Jane[/name]'s daughter).

16

Somehow I’m just not feeling [name]Elizabeth[/name] for a firstborn girl. I think it has such a strong association with both the [name]Queen[/name] and [name]Queen[/name] Mother that [name]William[/name] and [name]Kate[/name] would want to choose something with a little less overpowering and recent history. That being said I am sure it would be used as a 2nd or 3rd name and possible an accession name ie: [name]Princess[/name] [name]Eleanor[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] [name]Mary[/name] [name]Diana[/name] who would assume the throne as [name]Queen[/name] [name]Elizabeth[/name] III.

For a girl I still think [name]Victoria[/name] is a top possibility. It’s a lovely traditional name and [name]Queen[/name] [name]Victoria[/name] was the matriach of the current ruling house who had a long and largely successful reign. That being said, there hasn’t been a [name]Princess[/name] [name]Victoria[/name] since the original [name]Victoria[/name]'s granddaughter.

I also like [name]Charlotte[/name] which would honor the wife of [name]George[/name] III as well as [name]Princess[/name] [name]Charlotte[/name] who would have been [name]Queen[/name] had she not died in childbirth.

I hadn’t thought of [name]Eleanor[/name] before. It’s interesting that [name]Diana[/name] and [name]Charles[/name] had considered it for a girl. I love the name and the association with [name]Eleanor[/name] of Aquitane!!!

Other thoughts include [name]Alexandra[/name] ([name]Edward[/name] VII’s queen and another lovely name), [name]Mary[/name] (the current [name]Queen[/name]'s grandmother, [name]Henry[/name] VIII’s sister), [name]Margaret[/name] (multiple queens, [name]Elizabeth[/name]'s sister).

An intriguing offbeat choice would be [name]Matilda[/name] who was the daughter of [name]Henry[/name] I, [name]Empress[/name] of Germany and was involved in a civil war for [name]England[/name] with her cousin [name]Stephen[/name].

For boys I think [name]George[/name] is a top contender as it would honor [name]Elizabeth[/name]‘s father and grandfather and has a strong Hanoverian history. I really like [name]James[/name] (nn [name]Jamie[/name]?) as both modern and traditional. [name]Edward[/name] is a nice name with a strong royal past but also the name of one of [name]Wills[/name]’ uncles which may make it less likely to be used. I don’t see [name]Charles[/name] as a first name…I think they will reach farther back into the family tree…but definitely as a middle. [name]Henry[/name] is out since its his brother’s name and I don’t see a [name]William[/name] [name]Jr[/name] unless they give him a non-traditional first name and [name]William[/name] is used as an accession name. An outside possibilty would be [name]Richard[/name] with its strong association with the Lionheart but it’s not very current sounding and has no good nicknames ([name]Prince[/name] [name]Rick[/name]? [name]Rich[/name]? UGH)

I’m still curious as to whether people think a first born girl will inherit the throne!

17

@mdmommy4 - In reply to your inquiry about British succession: if the first born is female and no males are born to [name]William[/name] and [name]Kate[/name], then this girl will be Sovereign [name]Queen[/name]. However, if one or more boys are born after this first daughter, they will take precedence over her and she goes down in the line of succession. The British are behind the times in changing their sucession law. Countries like [name]Sweden[/name], Norway and Belgium changed their law years ago and now it’s the first born child - irregardless of gender- who is the automatic heir to the throne. Crown [name]Princess[/name] [name]Viktoria[/name] of [name]Sweden[/name] is the heir over her brother [name]Prince[/name] [name]Carl[/name] [name]Philip[/name] because she was the first born child and for the same reason, we will have Queens in Belgium ([name]Elisabeth[/name]) and Norway ([name]Ingrid[/name]) in the future. I think this is the only fair way to go. Too bad the British are dragging their heels on the issue. But I guess we shouldn’t complain. The Japanese do not allow women on the throne at all so the Crown [name]Prince[/name]'s only child, a girl named [name]Aiko[/name], will be passed over and her younger male cousin will be the future Emperor. What a slap in the face for females!

18

@mischa thanks for the response! I guess I should have clarified my question as do you think the Brits will alter the rules of sucession if [name]William[/name] and [name]Kate[/name]'s firstborn is a girl, especially if she has a little brother. I would think (and hope) there would be some if not a significant amount of support for that in this day and age in [name]England[/name].

19

Oh, I think that there’s loads of support for the change in the succession law from the general public but I don’t think the present minority government has this issue on top of their agenda at the moment. There are too many other pressing problems for them to address in these difficult times. If I’m not mistaken, any changes instituted in the law have to get the approval from other Commonwealth countries who have the [name]Queen[/name] as their Head of State (eg. [name]Canada[/name] & Australia) . I do hope we live to see the day when gender is no longer relevant in terms of succession or any other topic for that matter. Women are quite capable of achieving anything if the world would allow them to reach their full potential.

20

[name]Amen[/name] to that!!! :smiley: