This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
Alexandra, Charlotte, George or James – all royal baby name bets are on
Alexandra, Charlotte, George or James – all royal baby name bets are on
(about 7 hours later)
Punters who have had a flutter on what the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will call their baby may have a little wait before any formal announcement.
Punters who have had a flutter on what the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will call their baby may have a little wait before any formal announcement.
It was seven days before the Prince and Princess of Wales revealed they had chosen William as the name for their firstborn, yet Prince Harry was named immediately.
It was seven days before the Prince and Princess of Wales revealed that they had chosen William as the name for their firstborn, although Prince Harry was named immediately.
Whatever name is chosen, recent precedent indicates it is likely to have royal connections and there should be a vacancy, ie it should not be in current use by a senior member of the family. It is a given that there will be several middle names, probably in honour of close family members.
Before the birth, bookmakers made George (from 7 -1 to 10-1) a favourite. There have been six previous reigning Georges. James has also attracted money (12-1, although one bookmaker had James as 6-1). Last night both had been cut to 3-1 and 4-1 respectively. James has strong royal ties, with two English kings and six Scottish kings – something to bear in mind as the Scottish independence debate rages. It is also the name of Kate's brother.
The Duke of Cambridge was christened William Arthur Philip Louis – referencing his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, and his great uncle Lord Mountbatten, who was murdered by the IRA in 1979.
Edward and Charles are seen as unlikely first names, but could be suitable as middle names. So could Michael, should Kate wish to honour her father. Arthur, the name Charles apparently wanted to give William, was the last surviving son of Victoria.
Charles's full name is Charles Philip Arthur George, which includes the names of his father and his grandfather George VI.
Prince Harry is officially Prince Henry Charles Albert David. Albert, or Bertie, was George VI's name and also that of Victoria's consort. David, meanwhile, was unlikely to have been out of affection for the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated as Edward VIII, causing a huge crisis. It was also the name of the Queen Mother's brother.
The Queen – Elizabeth Alexandra Mary – was named in straightforward fashion after her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
The couple may also bear in mind that any overly long first name will undoubtedly be shortened by headline-writers.
Before the birth, bookmakers made Alexandra the favourite for a girl, with odds of between 7-2 and 4-1. Queen Alexandra was the Danish wife of Edward VII, chosen by Queen Victoria as a suitable bride when she was 16 and married 18 months later.
Charlotte (11-2 and 5-1) was also a popular bet. It has run through the line of female royals for generations as a middle name. Queen Charlotte was the wife of George III and Queen Victoria's grandmother. Princess Charlotte of Wales, only child of George IV and Caroline of Brunswick, would have become Queen had she outlived her father and grandfather, but she died following childbirth at the age of 21. It is also the middle name of the Duchess' sister, Pippa.
Diana (7-1 to 9-1) has obvious provenance and is very likely to appear in some form, though probably as a middle name. Elizabeth (7-1 to 10-1) would also be a reasonable bet for a middle name, and is the Duchess of Cambridge's middle name.
Victoria, Caroline and Mary were also seen as safe royal names.
For a boy, George (7-1 to 10-1) has been a favourite, and there have been six previous reigning Georges, including the Queen's father who, although born an Albert, chose to be named King George.
James has also attracted money (12-1), although one bookmaker had James as 6-1. It has strong royal ties – with two English kings and six Scottish kings, something to bear in mind as the Scottish independence debate rages. It is also the name of Kate's brother.
Edward and Charles are seen as unlikely first names, but could be suitable as middle names. So could Michael, should Kate wish to honour her father. Arthur, the name Charles apparently wanted to give William, was the last surviving son of Victoria. The first son of Henry VII was called Arthur and perhaps the name reminds us of the romanticism of the legends of King Arthur.
More bizarre betting has seen the name Barack attract odds of 200-1, Chardonnay on 250-1 with the highest odds on Kai, which Paddy Power was offering at 1,000-1. Tulisa attracted 500-1 as did Rafa.
One bookmaker was offering odds on careers. The chances of the infant pursuing a career in art were given as 10-1. Following in Zara Phillips's equestrian footsteps were placed at 14-1. The army and navy attracted odds of 25-1 and 20-1 respectively. Outside bets included a model (33-1), party planner (50-1) and journalism (90-1).
Paddy Power was offering odds on which universities the future sovereign might attend. St Andrews, alma mater of mama and papa, was 5-2, Oxford and Cambridge were level-pegged at 3-1. Outsiders were Queen's University Belfast at 33-1 and the University of Glasgow at 40-1.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday.
