Naming Customs of British Royalty, Favourite Name, Regnal Name and Numeration

[Molly2101]

EIIR, I love the idea of putting Hugo in the names. I love the name Hugo, and it's in my list of boy's names (if I ever have children, haha!). Rory is lovely, but as I am Irish I prefer the Irish spelling and pronounciation - Ruairi (pronounced Roo-a-ry), but that would not go down well in the Windsor household!

I sincerely hope they do not name their child Diana, as the poor girl would have so much to live up to.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I always wonder if royals go through the general book of names that most parents or get given and just put Prince or Princess in front of them and see how it sounds. For a future King or Queen their name has got to sound somewhat regal.

And EIIR, my post stated my opinion on the name Davina. There is no need to get on the defensive because I asked a question.

 

[EIIR]

And EIIR, my post stated my opinion on the name Davina. There is no need to get on the defensive because I asked a question.

With all due respect, "We already have a Davina do we not?" is pretty condescending as if those of us discussing the name didn't know there's already a member of the Windsor family with that name. Not only did we know that there already is a Davina in the wider royal family, Lady Davina was mentioned specifically as part of the thread's discussion over the last couple of days.

 

[princess gertrude]

One of my favorite names....
Princess Mary Adelaide Wilhelmina Elizabeth of Cambridge

 

[An Ard Ri]

EIIR, I love the idea of putting Hugo in the names. I love the name Hugo, and it's in my list of boy's names (if I ever have children, haha!). Rory is lovely, but as I am Irish I prefer the Irish spelling and pronounciation - Ruairi (pronounced Roo-a-ry), but that would not go down well in the Windsor household!

I sincerely hope they do not name their child Diana, as the poor girl would have so much to live up to.

The last High King of Ireland was a Ruairi (meaning Red(Ruai)-King(Rí) but I can't see it being used even in its anglicized form.

 

[kbk]

Now, when William is a grandson of a Sovereign, his potential daughter will be styled as Lady, just like other male-line great-granddaughters of former Sovereigns.

 

[Artemisia]

Unless the Queen issues Letters Patent granting William's daughter the style of Royal Highness and title of a Princess, which personally I find very likely.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Now, when William is a grandson of a Sovereign, his potential daughter will be styled as Lady, just like other male-line great-granddaughters of former Sovereigns.

Yes, but when William becomes King surely his daughters/sons will bear the style of Prince and Princess?

 

[Artemisia]

Yes, but when William becomes King surely his daughters/sons will bear the style of Prince and Princess?

Yes, of course; the Monarch's children are automatically Princes and Princesses. In fact, William's (and Harry's) children - as male-line grandchildren of the Monarch - will automatically become Royal Highnesses and Princes/Princesses during Charles' reign as well.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Now, when William is a grandson of a Sovereign, his potential daughter will be styled as Lady, just like other male-line great-granddaughters of former Sovereigns.

Kbk, what I am talking about is that if the baby is born during Charles or William's reign and not the Queen's reign...

 

[cepe]

Unless the Queen issues Letters Patent granting William's daughter the style of Royal Highness and title of a Princess, which personally I find very likely.

I agree because the first born will eventually become monarch and secondly, if this did not happen then the child/children would eventually have to be "promoted" from Lord/Lady to Prince/Princess and the reasons for this would not be generally understood. The vast majority of the UK doesn't have the knowledge contained within this Forum

It will seem normal for the children of Prince William (one day King) to be a Prince/Princess

 

[Tiggersk8]

I'd love to see Alexander used as the first name of little first born Prince for William and Kate, but isn't it also the name of the Earl of Ulster? Maybe too soon if that is the case.

I also don't think William and Kate will call a daughter of theirs Diana. As a middle name, maybe, but not for her first. Harry OTOH I can see calling a little girl of his Diana, as she'll only be a supporting member of the RF and not one the main players as a daughter of the Cambridges will be. Then again, since their Uncle just named his latest little girl Diana in tribute to his sister according to him, this conversation may in fact just might be that. Nothing but that.

I really do hope that Charlotte makes a comeback, as it's just a lovely name and as others have said, could also be a tribute to Charles too. I also love Patrick/Patricia and neither one have been used in quite awhile either.

A good friend of mine who works in Labour and Delivery has told me that over the last couple of years, not only have the old fashioned names been making a huge comeback, but so have the flower names for girls. She thinks that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner calling their first little girl Violet was the spark for it, but due to that, it wouldn't shock me to see a little Princess of Cambridge called Rose in some manner.

I can also see Sophie in there somewhere, as from the pictures I've seen, it looks like Kate and Sophie really get along well. Not only that, but w/the rumours of Sophie taking Kate under her wing after the Engagement, it would be a nice way to say "Thank you" to the Countess.

BTW...Does anyone know where Christabel in Princess Alexandra's name comes from? To my knowledge, it's not a British Royal Family name, but could be from either the Danish or Greek RFs. Anyway, it's one of those things I've always wondered about and thanks in advance for any answers!!

 

[sarahedwards2]

I'd love to see Alexander used as the first name of little first born Prince for William and Kate, but isn't it also the name of the Earl of Ulster? Maybe too soon if that is the case.

I also don't think William and Kate will call a daughter of theirs Diana. As a middle name, maybe, but not for her first. Harry OTOH I can see calling a little girl of his Diana, as she'll only be a supporting member of the RF and not one the main players as a daughter of the Cambridges will be. Then again, since their Uncle just named his latest little girl Diana in tribute to his sister according to him, this conversation may in fact just might be that. Nothing but that.



BTW...Does anyone know where Christabel in Princess Alexandra's name comes from? To my knowledge, it's not a British Royal Family name, but could be from either the Danish or Greek RFs. Anyway, it's one of those things I've always wondered about and thanks in advance for any answers!!

It's because she was born on Christmas Day.

 

[sarahedwards2]

I love the name Anne; I'm thinking of using it as a middle name if I have a girl someday, after the princess. And maybe Elizabeth as a second middle.

By the way, is Davina the female form of David?

 

[Mariel]

Tiggesk8, I read that Princess Alice of Gloucester was before Princess Alexandra in having the name Cristabel because of being born on Christmas. One of the Gloucester girls has Christabel in her list of names, as well.

Davina IS the female form of David. In our family, our nephew's son David, named his girl Davina.
I would love to see the non-English parts of the British Empire honored, particularly the Scottish. Margaret is a Queen's name. Margery, too, is the name of the wife of a king, who died in childbirth at Paisley Abbey, after falling from a horse. Margery is an unusual name these days, but I am tired of always having the "same" names for the royal family. Margery Rose would be nice.

 

[Tiggersk8]

Thanks to the both of you for the information about Princess Alexandra having the name Christabel. I very much appreciate it.

As for the name Margery, w/the second season of Game of Thrones now being on and Natalie Dormer playing her, don't be surprised if it suddenly becomes popular again. IIRC, Natalie's pretty good at playing Queens.

 

[sarahedwards2]

Margery Rose would be nice.

Margery Rose sounds too much like Margaret Rose; which was the Queen's sister's full name.

 

[sarahedwards2]

Thanks to the both of you for the information about Princess Alexandra having the name Christabel. I very much appreciate it.

As for the name Margery, w/the second season of Game of Thrones now being on and Natalie Dormer playing her, don't be surprised if it suddenly becomes popular again. IIRC, Natalie's pretty good at playing Queens.

Alexandra's son was born on February 29, 1964. She famously said "It's bad enough having my birthday on Christmas; I didn't want my son to only have a birthday every four years!"

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I hate the name Margery, ugh it would be so horrible to have to call a Queen Queen Margery.
I miss the Russian royals, they had some great names; Alexander, Nicholas, Mikhail, Anastasia, Tatiana, Marie, Catherine...
As for the British, I think George needs to come back.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

How do you pronounce Margery? Because I've heard a lot of people pronounce it like 'Marjorie' but if I would personally pronounce it like the Game of Thrones character Margaery Tyrell, who was previously mentioned in this thread. Anyway, I like the name.

Anne is also a really nice name, it would be wonderful if a firstborn daughter of William and Catherine was given the name Anne in honour of the Princess Royal.

 

[Lumutqueen]

How do you pronounce Margery? Because I've heard a lot of people pronounce it like 'Marjorie' but if I would personally pronounce it like the Game of Thrones character Margaery Tyrell, who was previously mentioned in this thread. Anyway, I like the name.

Anne is also a really nice name, it would be wonderful if a firstborn daughter of William and Catherine was given the name Anne in honour of the Princess Royal.

I would say Marjorie. How would pronounce Margaery? I can't remember that name from the show.

 

[nascarlucy]

Have always liked the name Victoria. It's not an overused name. If William and Catherine have a daughter, it would be nice if they named her Elizabeth, after Queen Elizabeth.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

I would say Marjorie. How would pronounce Margaery? I can't remember that name from the show.

On the show I believe they pronounce it like Marg-ori, somewhat like Marjorie, but with pressure on the 'g' and without the 'e' in the end.

Personally I would pronounce it Mar (as in in Margaret), Gaer (as in Targaryen) and then y. I think it makes it more ASOIAF-ish, but apparently neither the author nor the makers of the tv show agree with me in that

 

[Mariel]

I was thinking of Margery Rose as being like Margaret Rose, but not exactly the same. As in the name Margarita, which David Lynley gave to his daughter, in honor of his mother.

 

[LauraS3514]

Tiggesk8, I read that Princess Alice of Gloucester was before Princess Alexandra in having the name Cristabel because of being born on Christmas. One of the Gloucester girls has Christabel in her list of names, as well.

Princess Alice Christabel, Duchess of Gloucester was born on Christmas Day, 1901, and Princess Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel of Kent on Christmas Day 1936 (Queen Mary said it "was the only good thing to happen this year.") The daughters of the present Duke of Gloucester are Davina Elizabeth Alice Benedikte and Rose Victoria Birgitte Louise; Lady Rose's daughter is Lyla Beatrix Christabel Gilman.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

I love how the Earl of Ulster, Lady Davina and Lady Rose have a Danish name (or at least names that have been somewhat popular here) each (Gregers, Benedikte and Birgitte) honouring their mother's side of the family. It's a real shame that the Duchess of Gloucester isn't more known here in Denmark, I don't even think the average Dane knows that she is Danish at all.

I also really like the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's taste in names, all three of their children have really beautiful, traditional but yet special names.

 

[LauraS3514]

I also don't think William and Kate will call a daughter of theirs Diana. As a middle name, maybe, but not for her first. Harry OTOH I can see calling a little girl of his Diana, as she'll only be a supporting member of the RF and not one the main players as a daughter of the Cambridges will be. Then again, since their Uncle just named his latest little girl Diana in tribute to his sister according to him, this conversation may in fact just might be that. Nothing but that.

I agree, I don't think that William and Catherine will use the name Diana as a first name, either, maybe as a third or fourth name; Harry maybe. BTW, Earl Spencer's new daughter is "Lady Charlotte Diana": Diana has been a Spencer family name for over 300 years.

 

[suztav]

I agree, I don't think that William and Catherine will use the name Diana as a first name, either, maybe as a third or fourth name; Harry maybe. BTW, Earl Spencer's new daughter is "Lady Charlotte Diana": Diana has been a Spencer family name for over 300 years.

He will use Frances as a middle name, but never Diana as a first name.

 

[Duke-of-Earl]

I think W&C will choose very traditional names with strong associations to the BRF.
I will be surprised if they use any names with a connection to the Spencers or his mum.

 

[Duke-of-Earl]

I like the names, Beatrice and Eugenie. Always been my favourites.