Alice, Victoria, Arthur and Phillip – ever since Prince William and Kate announced they are expecting their third child, punters across the country have been placing bets on the unborn baby's name. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will likely opt for a traditional name that has ties to the royal family, but they'll also want a moniker that will resonate with the public and have an impact. We spoke to Christian Turner, global naming director at Siegel+Gale, about the expectations for a royal baby name.
"The key consideration when naming a royal baby is the fine balance between tradition and accessibility," said Christian. "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will want the fifth-in-line to the throne to bear a name worthy of such weight, and it's therefore likely they will choose a solid, traditional name with strong links to royalty. At the same time, they won't want to appear old-fashioned or haughty, so choosing a name the public can embrace is equally important.
"George and Charlotte are excellent examples of names that strike the balance perfectly," said Christian
"George and Charlotte are excellent examples of names that strike the balance perfectly; royal by tradition, solid in heritage, both names have enjoyed a resurgence over the last decade, and it's not uncommon to hear either name being called in the local playground. This is common of the style of this generation of royals, who want to be more down-to-earth than their predecessors."
It's safe to assume that William and Kate, both 35, will follow the same thought process when naming their third baby. Christian noted that the royals will also "avoid a first name that is already in use by one of Prince William's uncles, aunts and cousins". This would rule out Anne, Andrew, Edward, Mark, Sarah and Sophie, as well as Peter, Zara, Autumn, Mike, Beatrice, Eugenie, Louise and James.
William and Kate will need to balance "tradition and accessibility"
Christian concluded: "Alice, the bookies' top contender for a girl, is a good bet, but Amelia and Alexandra could also be under consideration. Amelia was the daughter of King George II and is the current second most popular name in the UK. Alexandra is the Queen's second name and has been consistently popular throughout history.
"For a boy, the bookies' favourite, Arthur, is also a strong contender but Frederick and Leopold could also be on the table; both have strong royal lineage, and their diminutives (Freddie and Leo) have spots in the top 100 boys' names for 2017."