Following the joyful news that Prince William and Kate have welcomed a baby boy, punters around the UK are placing bets on what their third child will be called. Betfair's latest odds show that Arthur is the favourite, with odds standing at 3/1. Thomas, Albert and Philip are also front-runners, with odds standing at 7/2 each. Other possible names include James at 11/2, Edward and Henry at 8/1, and Jack at 10/1. Earlier this month, Prince William joked that he would have to name his third child after Aston Villa football player, Jack Grealish; William is a big Villa fan. Odds on Frederick, Louis, Alexander and Peter stand at 14/1, while odds on William are at 18/1.
Arthur would pay tribute to Prince William and Prince Charles, who both have the middle name Arthur. The traditional moniker was also the middle name of the Queen's father, George VI. William and Charles also have the middle name Philip, and Philip would be a fitting tribute to the Queen's 96-year-old husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. Thomas, meanwhile, appears several times in Kate's family tree, while Albert has been touted as another popular choice, after Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert, and the Queen's father George, who was actually called Albert Frederik Arthur George.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWilliam and Kate will likely choose a traditional name
Katie Baylis, Betfair spokeswoman, said: "It's the news the world has been waiting for since it was announced this morning that Kate had gone into labour and immediately at Betfair it was the boys' names that punters were desperate to back, with Arthur being the big favourite throughout the morning. Now that it has been confirmed we have a new baby Prince, Arthur remains the favourite at 3/1. We have also seen plenty of backing for Thomas and Albert which are both at 7/2, as is Phillip, with punters perhaps thinking that a nod towards the baby's great grandfather would be fitting."
Prior to the birth announcement, popular girl names in the running were Mary or Alice, with odds at 10/1, while Elizabeth stood at 12/1 and Victoria at 16/1. In February, Ladbrokes saw a serious gamble on the name Mary in the north-west of England, replacing the favourite, Alice. Paddy Power had also slashed odds of the baby being called Mary from 12/1 to 3/1, while also suspending all bets on William and Kate's third child being a girl.
Favourite royal baby names: see the list
Mary is a very traditional name with royal connections. It is one of the Queen's middle names and was also her grandmother's name – Queen Mary – who was Mary of Teck and married to George V.
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Prince William and Kate will most likely keep it classic when choosing a name for their third child, just like they did for Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, two. Alice was once again the bookies' favourite when Kate was pregnant with her daughter in 2015. The pretty name would be a nod to Queen Victoria's second daughter, Alice Maud Mary. The late royal was famous for her compassionate nature and relentless advocacy of women's rights – two qualities that would be encouraged in a modern princess.
