My choices for the new Royal baby’s name are Elizabeth, Alexandra or Charlotte as her first name. The bookies’ favourite is Alice. Let’s take a look at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s most likely options for their beautiful new arrival:
Elizabeth
This would be a wonderful choice. The baby is born in the year that the Queen surpasses Queen Victoria as our longest reigning monarch. An important link too with William’s great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the wife of George VI and much loved. The Queen has an illustrious predecessor in Elizabeth I who, like Victoria, gave her name to an age.
Alexandra
This would also be a fitting tribute as the Queen’s names are Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. It would also be a nod to her cousin Princess Alexandra, a popular member of the royal family. Also to the long suffering and popular Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII.
Charlotte
Linked with Queen Charlotte, the wife who supported George III who suffered from porphyria, a king we understand more now. She was a keen botanist and music lover. Also the feminine form of Charles so a nod to the Prince of Wales
Alice
With royal names so frequently linked to past royals I think this unlikely. Prince Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Greece is not known widely by the public. Nor is his maternal great-grandmother and mother of the Tsarina Alexandra, Queen Victoria’s second daughter Princess Alice. There seems no clue as to why this would be popular with William and Kate but it was the bookies favourite.
Victoria
Despite a popular reappraisal of this extraordinary sovereign in recent years it seems unlikely with the era still linked in the public consciousness to puritanism and prudishness. It would be another step towards re-evaluating it. It might be among the names but not I suspect a first name.
Diana
Definitely not as the first name. William is devoted to the memory of his mother and gave Kate her engagement ring. If Diana was even in the list of names the publicity initially might eclipse the others! There are still Camilla vs Diana debates in the press. It might be what William would like to do but I doubt it will appear.
Mary
Just as royal names can define eras they have to be avoided if there is a link with an undesirable past. So the rule of “Bloody” Mary makes this unlikely. The stern, unbending Queen Mary, wife of George V, personified royalty of past eras, far from today. William and Mary are not of sufficient current interest.
Catherine
Not as a first name. There won’t be two Kates.
Zara
I don’t think there will be a zany or unusual name like hers.
IMAGE: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge depart the Lindo Wing with their newborn daughter at St Mary’s Hospital on Saturday. The Duchess was safely delivered of a daughter at 8:34am on 2 May 2015, weighing 8lbs 3oz who is fourth in line to the throne. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)