Since the royal baby name announcement on Friday morning, it's thought that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will spark a revival with their choice of Louis Arthur Charles for the new royal baby. Currently, Louis is the 71st most popular name for a baby boy in England and Wales - a long way behind the new Prince's big brother George, whose name is in third place. According to the Office for National Statistics, just 911 boys were named Louis in 2016 - by contrast, 5,263 were named George, while 3,819 were named William.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWilliam and Kate have announced they have named their son Louis Arthur Charles
In fact, judging by the figures, the name Louis has fallen out of favour in recent years. Back in 2004 it ranked 38th in popularity and was given to 1,976 babies, but since then it has slipped down the chart. But could it rebound now that it has a royal connection?
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If Prince Louis is set to follow in siblings Charlotte and George's footsteps, it looks like that might well be the case! George was ranked 10th in popularity in 2013, the year the Duke and Duchess' first child was born. The following year it climbed to seventh place, then fourth, and is currently in third position. Meanwhile, Charlotte jumped from 25th place in 2015 - the year Princess Charlotte was born - to 12th in 2016.
Both Prince George and Princess Charlotte saw their names grow in popularity
William and Kate's choice of Louis has plenty of traditional meaning behind it, just like George and Charlotte. The new Prince's name is a nod to the Duke of Edinburgh's uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, and the Duke's maternal grandfather, Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg. The baby's big brother Prince George also has Louis as a middle name, just like his father William. The name, which is French and German in origin, means "renowned warrior".
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Prince Louis' middle names also have particular significance. Arthur, which was always a popular choice with the bookies, is another of Prince William's middle names, as well as Prince Charles'; it was also a middle name of the Queen's father, King George VI. The regal name calls to mind the legendary King Arthur, who was the mythical leader of the knights of the Round Table. Charles, meanwhile, is a clear nod to Prince Louis' paternal grandfather, the Prince of Wales, whose full name is Prince Charles Philip Arthur George.
