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Prince William And Kate Middleton's Baby Could Have One Of These Names
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Kate Middleton still doesn't know whether she's having a boy or girl, but bookies are already betting on names "Alexandra" and "George."
Expectant royals Kate Middleton and Prince William will likely soon be choosing their baby's name and they will likely be more conservative than Kim Kardashian and Kanye West who named their baby girl North West.
While William and Kate do not yet know the sex of their unborn child — who isn't due until July 11 — bookies are already betting on the heir to the throne's name.
"Bookies William Hill say their punters are expecting Kate’s first child to be female," reports The Week. "As for names, Alexandra and Elizabeth are the favourites for a girl while George and James are favourites for a boy."
CNN royal contributor Victoria Arbiter says royals choose "dynastic names; names with a sense of history" that will provide the "elements of continuity that the survival of the monarchy depends on."
Arbiter predicts "Alexandra Elizabeth Frances Mary for a girl and George Philip Arthur Charles for a boy."
AP / Phil Noble, Pool
Top name pick "Alexandra" is the Queen's middle name. But will Middleton go for it?
Arbiter explains that Alexandra is the Queen's middle name, while Elizabeth would honor the baby's great grandmother and great, great grandmother — but it is also Middleton's middle name.
Frances is "Diana's middle name and also Michael Middleton's middle name,” Arbiter notes.
But why not honor Prince William's late mother Diana by naming the baby after her?
"I really don't think they'll use Diana for a first child," Arbiter tells MSN, noting that Middleton already faces so many comparisons with Diana.
Additionally, she says, "William and Harry are very keen to honor their mother privately" and might avoid the name "out of respect to the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla.”
Other possible names for a baby girl include Alice in tribute to Prince Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, Eleanor for "Eleanor of Aquitaine," and Pippa Middleton's middle name, Charlotte.
As for a boy, MSN notes "George is a popular guess for a first name and also a popular name choice for monarchs: There have been six previous King Georges. Philip would be in honor of Price Philip."
Arbiter says Arthur is a "middle name shared by a number of royal men that recalls the legend of King Arthur."
Sounds solid.
Check out the baby name odds, according to Irish bookmaker paddypower.com:
As for a last name, it's a bit tricky.
"When utilizing a surname like ordinary folks, William and his brother, Prince Harry, take a cue from father Charles, Prince of Wales' royal house and go by William Wales and Harry Wales," according to E! Online.
But, as the site notes, the baby isn't required to have a surname — but if the parents want their child to have one, they have three choices.
AP Photos
The baby isn't required to have a last name, but will likely have similar titles to his father and uncle Harry.
According to BBC News, the royal baby's last name could be Wales, like dad; Cambridge, the title given to the couple when they married; or Mountbatten-Windsor, the surname of Prince Philip, who got Mountbatten from his maternal grandparents, and the queen, whose father, King George V, selected Windsor for his family in 1917.
While Middleton isn't due to give birth for another week, there's already protocol in place for how the royal couple will announce their first born to the eagerly-awaiting public.
The public will be informed that Kate Middleton is in labor "when she's in her [hospital] room and comfortable,” Arbiter told MSN.
After the baby is born, a birth announcement will be placed on an easel outside of Buckingham Palace.
"That will be the first we know of the sex of the baby and the time of birth,” Arbiter explained, but the announcement will likely not include the baby's name.
But don't hold your breath for a name announcement, because as Arbiter notes, it took William and Kate "three weeks to announce their dog's name.”
In case you're wondering, it's Lupo.
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