Origin Of Royal Names

[Josefine]

Are you sure about this? I think I remember reading that the Prince of Orange chose the names after someone. Catharina from someone and Amalia from another. I think Amalia was from Amalia von Solms, but I am not sure.

i am not sure
maybe someone can help us out and tell us more

 

[Marengo]

They commented that they liked the name Amalia and that it sounds good in Dutch AND Spanish. Furthermore the crownprince stated, it is a family name. The PoO did not explicitely mention Amalia of Solms, but as she was the first Amalia in the family and she was an exceptional woman we can understand that Catharina-Amalia was named after her. I believe the Prince commented that Amalia was a very strong woman (or something in that direction).

 

[Marengo]

Madelaine was named after her godmother & close friend of the king and queen, Princess Madelaine Bernadotte. Daughter of Prince Carl Bernadotte, 1st cousin to the Kings of Belgium and Norway.

 

[Marengo]

The Hubertus in the King of Swedens name is after one of his Saxe-Coburg-Gotha relatives (I believe one of his mothers brothers was called Hubertus).

 

[lula]

Spanish Real house Prince Felipe and the son of Infanta Elena already are, other members of the family:

Infanta Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos:

Elena: was the name that Reina wanted to put to her first daughter I believe that because was the name of a doll that she had of girl
María: the mother of de King
Isabel: the name of the two queens of Spain
Dominica de Silos: Spanish traditional saint, I don´t know if he has some specific relation with the Royal Family


Doña Cristina Federica:

Cristina: a traditional name of the family, and the name of her godmother
Federica: the mother of Reina Sofía

Victoria Federica de Marichalar y Borbón:

Victoria: by the Queen Victoria Eugenia, grandmother of the King
Federica: The mother of Queen Sofía

Juan Valentín:

Juan: The King and his father
Valentín: a saint who was ancestor of Iñaki Urdangarín

Pablo Nicolás:
I imagine that both names by the Greek family

Miguel: Iñaki´s brother name

Irene: Because it liked their parents, it means "who brings the peace" and is the name of Queen´s sister

About the name of Reina Sofía an anecdote, her mother wanted to call she Olga but the day that was born the citizens they arrived at the place and they began to shout Sofía.

 

[juliamontague]

Maybe they named he, Elena because in greek Helena means "greek", I think.

 

[juliamontague]

O.K. I looked it up and it seems as helena doesn't mean greek

 

[GrandDuchess]

Maybe they named he, Elena because in greek Helena means "greek", I think.

Hellas is Greece in Greek, at least that's what I've learned... So maybe it's something close to that, but I don't know.

 

[Sancia]

Hellas is Greece in Greek, at least that's what I've learned... So maybe it's something close to that, but I don't know.

Yes, but the words Hellas and Eleni (current Greek pronounciation) don't have the same roots (but I should verify, I'm supposed to be be a specialist of ancient Greek and Latin linguistic)

 

[bigheadshirmp]

Danish Royals

Prince Nikolai William Alexander Frederik of Denmark

Nikolai: no idea why...probably they like the name?
William:
Alexander: a male version of his mother's name (Alexandra)?
Frederik: probably after his uncle and great grandfather King Frederik IX

Prince Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian of Denmark

Felix: a name they like?
Henrik: after his grandfather Prince Henrik
Valdemar:name after past kings of denmark...
Christian: past kings of denmark have that name.....also one of his godparents Count Christian Ahlefeldt-Laurvig ...also one of the names of Prince Joachim (Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian)


any ideas?

 

[moosey60]

Inserted my comments.

Danish Royals

Prince Nikolai William Alexander Frederik of Denmark

Nikolai: no idea why...probably they like the name? Nikolai was number 7 that year, I believe. They did like the name.
William: Alexandra's grandfather, I believe, was named William.
Alexander: a male version of his mother's name (Alexandra)? Traditional Danish royal name. King Olaf of Norway was born Prince Alexander of Denmark.
Frederik: probably after his uncle and great grandfather King Frederik IX. traditional name of the Danish kings.

Prince Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian of Denmark

Felix: a name they like? They liked the name 'Felix'.
Henrik: after his grandfather Prince Henrik
Valdemar:name after past kings of denmark...Joachim also has this name only spelt with a 'W': Waldemar. Traditional royal name.
Christian: past kings of denmark have that name.....also one of his godparents Count Christian Ahlefeldt-Laurvig ...also one of the names of Prince Joachim (Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian)

 

[Gloriana]

Queen Margrethe II (Margrethe Alexandrine Thorildur Ingrid)
Margrethe = Queen Margrethe of Sweden(queen Ingrids late mother)
Alexandrine = Queen Alexandrine of Denmark (king Frederik 9.s late mother)
Thorhildur = at that time the Faeor islands was in union with Denmark and Greenland
Ingrid = Queen Ingrid of Sweden (queen Margrethes late mother)

Actually, Ingrid's mother was called Margareta (born Margaret of Britain), but the names mean the same, of course. And she died a Crown Princess.

Also, I presume you mean Iceland.

 

[norwegianne]

Any more thoughts on traditional vs. modern names on royals?

Have you ever thought that a name that might be conservative and old-fashioned to one person, may be modern and hip to another?

 

[Paula**]

paula is a funny name for a royal xD ahauahau goddd I hate my name is weird

 

[iowabelle]

there used to be a queen of somewhere named eugenie

Eugenie de Montijo was the Empress of France, married to Napoleon III.

 

[iowabelle]

I think in the Japanese Royal family the grandparents name the child.
Aiko was named by her grandfather.
Could you imagine not having a say, what if they give your child a name you detest.

Royal families tend to stick to traditional names. I guess they think that its safe.
I'd like to see something a little more modern like Aaron.... for any royal

The Queen Mother wanted to name Princess Margaret "Anne" but George V hated the name Anne.

 

[iowabelle]

In the 1940's & 50's Anne & Charles were not considered traditional royal names as they had been out of use since the Hanoverians came to the throne.

When Queen Victoria was named Alexandrina Victoria the names were very uncommon in Britain

In the present generations uncommon names have been

Zara - Daughter of the Princess Royal
Davina - Daughter of the Duke of Gloucester
Helen - Daughter of the Duke of Kent
Beatrice - Daughter of the Duke of York
Eugenie - Daughter of the Duke of York
Columbus - Grandson of the Duke of Kent
Cassius - Grandson of the Duke of Kent
Zenouska - Granddaughter of Princess Alexandra

Helen was a very common name of princesses in the 19th and 20th centuries (Rumania, Greece, and some of the German families). And some used the French version, Helene. And now we have the Spanish version, Elena.

 

[tiaraprin]

Queen Victoria was named Alexandrina Victoria. Her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, had hoped to name their daughter Elizabeth, the name of a Queen. However, the Prince Regent had different ideas. He was disgusted with his brother and sister-in-law assuming their child was going to be a monarch someday.

The day of the christening came and the minister asked for the child's names. The Prince Regent had to pronounce the names, for he must approve of them. (His brother wrote him about the names Elizabeth, Augusta, Charlotte, and Georgiana, after the Prince Regent. The Prince Regent told his brother all would be settled at the christening). The Prince Regent proclaimed the child to be named Alexandrina, after her other godfather, the Tsar of Russia. The Duke of Kent spluttered, "that can't be her only name?" The Prince Regent then said, "let the child be named after her mother." The Duke of Kent asked for Georgiana after the Prince Regent, but he said his name could not come after the Emperor's nor the Emperor's after his.

Thus, Alexandrina Victoria became Queen Victoria.

 

[iowabelle]

HRH The Earl of Wessex:
Edward Antony Richard Louis - The name of the Queen's youngest children was a great debate, resulting in the name been registered late and the Duke of Edinburgh getting a fine. Edward is for King Edward VIII and the Duke of Kent. Antony is for the Earl of Snowdon, Princess Maragret's ex husband. Richard after the Duke of Gloucester and one of the Hesse Kassel uncles. Louis after Lord Mountbatten and one of the Hesse - Kassel's.

I disagree on Richard being taken from the current Duke of Gloucester. Why would the Queen be so close to a cousin who is so much younger than she? Also, in 1964, he was just the younger son of the then Duke of Gloucester and Prince Richard would not have been expected to succeed his father.

But I don't know for sure.

 

[LaMinka]

More of the Norwegian Royals:
Crown Princess Märtha(1901): Märtha Sophie Louise Dagmar Thyra
-Märtha: Not to sure
-Sophie: After Queen Sophia of Sweden and Norway
-Louise: After Queen Louise of Denmark
-Dagmar: Not Sure
-Thyra: Not Sure

King Olav(1903): Alexander Edward Christian Fredrik
-Alexander: After his materal grandmother Queen Alexandra of Britan
-Edward: After his materal grandfather King Edward 7. of Britan
-Christian: His Uncle and father Carl(Christian ... ... Carl ...)
-Fredrik: He was a Danish prince... and maybe after his pateral grandfather King Fredrik??

Princess Ragnhild(1930): Ragnhild Alexandra
-Ragnhild: After the mother of Norways first King, Olav 1.
-Alexandra: After her great-greatgrandmother Queen Alexandra

Princess Astrid(1932): Astrid Maud Ingeborg
-Astrid: After her materal aunt Queen Astrid of Belgium
-Maud: After her grandmother Queen Maud Of Norway
-Ingeborg: After her materal grandmother Queen Ingeborg of Sweden

King Harald(1937): Harald
-Harald: After the Vikings, named Olav, Magnus, Haakon and Harald (Thanks to Josefine)

Princess Märtha Louise(1971): Märtha Louise
-Märtha: After her grandmother CP Märtha
-Louise: After CP Märtha and Queen Louise of Denmark

Crown Prince Haakon(1973): Haakon Magnus
-Haakon: after King Haakon 7. of Norway and Sonjas brother Haakon Haraldsen

Maud Angelica Behn(2003): Maud Angelica
Maud: After her great-great-greatgrandmother Queen Maud
Angelica: A name they liked?

Princess Ingrid(2004): Ingrid Alexandra
-Ingrid: A common norwegian name, many Norwegian princess is named that and MMs grandmother is named Ingrid Andrea Hoiby
-Alexandra: After King Olav

Leah Isadora Behn: Leah Isadora
Leah: After Princess Leia in Star Wars.. I think Märtha was just joked when she said that
Isadora: After Isadora Ducet (sp?) Ari have always been fasinated of her fantastic life and tragical dead

 

[iowabelle]

Leah Isadora Behn: Leah Isadora
Leah: After Princess Leia in Star Wars.. I think Märtha was just joked when she said that
Isadora: After Isadora Ducet (sp?) Ari have always been fasinated of her fantastic life and tragical dead

It was after the famous dancer, Isadora Duncan.

 

[LaMinka]

It was after the famous dancer, Isadora Duncan.

Thanks, I never remember her name!

 

[kelly1972]

Regarding Prince Edwards middle names i have read in the book called Royal Children that his middle names were taken from his godparents. From what I remember Prince Richard now the Duke of Gloscshire (sp) was one of his godparents. As for the Queens grandchildren the only ones I know who they were named after are Peter and Zara Phillips.

Peter Mark Andrew- Peter was his paternal grandfather Major Peter Phillips, Mark after his father and Andrew after Prince Andrew Duke of York.

Zara Anne Elizabeth- Zara was a name that was thought of by Prince Charles, it means bright as dawn. Princess Anne liked the name so it became her first name. Elizabeth is after the Queen and Anne is after her paternal grandmother Anne Phillips.

 

[Gloriana]

Zara was a name that was thought of by Prince Charles, it means bright as dawn.

Really? I didn't know that, very interesting.

 

[wymanda]

Prince Harry
Henry - Possibly after the late Duke of Gloucester
Charles - His father
Albert - The given name of his great grandfather George VI
David - The name by which the Duke of Windsor was known in the family. Also Viscount Linley's given name.

Princess Beatrice (Elizabeth Mary)
Beatrice - Queen Victoria's youngest child who was the mother of Queen Ena of Spain
Elizabeth - For her Grandmother & Great-Grandmother
Mary - For Queen Mary

Princess Eugenie (Victoria Helena)
Eugenie - After Empress Eugenie of France
Victoria - Queen Victoria {Victoria-Eugenie was also the given name of Queen Ena}
Helena - Third daughter of Queen Victoria, she was known in the family as Lenchen

 

[sebastian]

Anybody know why Princess Stephanie of Monaco has the firstname : Stephanie ???

Even my sister doesn't know ;-)

Caroline, I see it's ancestors
Albert is clear as well...

but: Stephanie ??? I thought it might have been a name en vogue in the mid-60s, but I'm not sure. Anyone????

 

[Amira]

King Mohamed VI Morocco : after the prophet and his grand father the late King Mohamed V
Prince Moulay Hassan : after his grand father , late king Hassan II

 

[selrahc4]

Many seem to think that the name David in the British Royal Family is after the Duke of Windsor. But the Queen Mother's favorite brother was named David and it seems more likely to me that this other uncle may be the source.

 

[Josefine]

Well, tradition is quite nice when it comes to names, but a little bit of originality now and then shouldn't go amiss. It's a bit like the ruckus concerning Mette-Marit's name when she married Haakon: some name-experts thought that she should choose a new name because it wasn't a very regal name... Getting new ideas into the royal families can be a good thing.

But when they begin naming their children after several fruit-sorts or trees... I think a line has been crossed. I don't think Prince Oak is a very royal name presently.

has any queen or princess maybe changed her name in the last years when getting married

 

[Josefine]

how about the new Belgium prince and the children of Astrid of Belgium or the Luxembourg family
and the children of WA brothers