Baby Cambridge: Potential Names and Godparents

[Grandma828]

The name George denotes regal, dependable, hard working to me.

 

[Frideswide]

It is sad that they have to keep using the same names over and over again and not bring in less used royal names. I believe I heard that there is a taboo in using the name John in the BRF, and be wise of Richard III I'm not sure if that name would go over well either.

I've said this before, but I don't believe there are any such taboos. Not when the Queen named her heir Charles.

 

[Mariel]

"George" is rather hard to pronounce. That's my beef with it. But if pronounced with a British accent, I presume the "rrr" (grrr) sound would be mitigated, and even come close to disappearing. Grandma, it does sound "regal, dependable, hard working".

 

[Isabella]

"George" is rather hard to pronounce. That's my beef with it. But if pronounced with a British accent, I presume the "rrr" (grrr) sound would be mitigated, and even come close to disappearing. Grandma, it does sound "regal, dependable, hard working".

Really? I don't perceive it as hard to pronounce at all - perhaps because I'm just so used to hearing/saying it. It's definitely think it's a good, strong, name though, even if it's not a favorite of mine.

 

[NGalitzine]

^^^^^
How can George ever be pronounced as anything other than what it is asks the guy with the English accent?

 

[Isabella]

^^^^^
How can George ever be pronounced as anything other than what it is asks the guy with the English accent?

Haha. I will say I used to get very confused as a child when watching The Sound of Music because I didn't understand what the Captain's name was supposed to be - took me ages to figure out that it was actually 'Georg', but just pronounced so completely differently from 'George' in English that I never would've even thought they were spelled (almost) the same.

 

[cepe]

How do people in the US pronounce George Washington, George Bush or George Clooney? It is a standard english pronounciation

 

[Mariel]

Well, in the US, "George" is pronounced with a hard R. I believe that some British accents I've heard, especially the Oxford type which the royals speak, soften the R.
You "hear" the R but it is less pronounced and softer. Sort of Jawj. Cepe, in America we pronounce the Georges Clooney, Bush, and Washington with that hard R. We do have some regional accents remaining in America, even though most people now speak Standard English. For instance, in Giraffe's neck of the woods, the Southeast, the R would be softened, I believe. I think some Noreastern folks still soften such an R, as President Kennedy would have, but the Noreasters ADD final R's where they don't exist in the spelling, which is to my ears a very strange thing.

Kennedy would drop the final R in "mother".

Some of us in the western US speak without a discernable (by audiologists} accent. We of course have an accent which Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady would have discerned, but much less so.

 

[NGalitzine]

^^^^

I am sorry but this reminds me of an awful video on Youtube of an American woman attempting to teach Americans how to speak with an English accent. It was hilarious because no English person would recognize her pronunciations as being English.

 

[AdmirerUS]

How do people in the US pronounce George Washington, George Bush or George Clooney? It is a standard english pronounciation

Sadly, Cepe, we here in the midwest (my part) pronounce it with vowels that most people don't make unless they pinch their nose.
Gee-ow-jh

 

[casualfan]

Well, in the US, "George" is pronounced with a hard R. I believe that some British accents I've heard, especially the Oxford type which the royals speak, soften the R.
You "hear" the R but it is less pronounced and softer. Sort of Jawj. Cepe, in America we pronounce the Georges Clooney, Bush, and Washington with that hard R. We do have some regional accents remaining in America, even though most people now speak Standard English. For instance, in Giraffe's neck of the woods, the Southeast, the R would be softened, I believe. I think some Noreastern folks still soften such an R, as President Kennedy would have, but the Noreasters ADD final R's where they don't exist in the spelling, which is to my ears a very strange thing.

Kennedy would drop the final R in "mother".

Some of us in the western US speak without a discernable (by audiologists} accent. We of course have an accent which Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady would have discerned, but much less so.

There are still HUGE differences in the "American" accent. I think that people in at least ten states soften the "r" as you describe.

So, no, I don't think there's a huge difference in the pronunciation of George.

And that fulfills my daily quota of phonology.

 

[Ish]

I suddenly feel the need to look up how different people pronounce George on YouTube...

 

[Roslyn]

Haha. I will say I used to get very confused as a child when watching The Sound of Music because I didn't understand what the Captain's name was supposed to be - took me ages to figure out that it was actually 'Georg', but just pronounced so completely differently from 'George' in English that I never would've even thought they were spelled (almost) the same.

I read your post a few times, Isabella, before what you were saying sunk in. I was thinking, 'But his name was Gayorg, not George", and then the penny finally dropped.

Before reading this thread it has never occurred to me that there could be more than one way to pronounce George. It's Jawj; there is no alternative. Not on this continent, anyway. Is it pronounced any other way in any part of the UK?

 

[Grandma828]

I would suggest that you learn to listen through the accents for what is being said. I learned the skill when I worked in the University Library and had to deal with people from all over the world.

 

[QueenJen]

I heard a report on another site (can't remember which), where they were quoting Prince Charles as saying his nickname would be 'Georgie'. Has anyone else heard this?

 

[Iluvbertie]

I assumed everybody pronounced the middle bit as 'or' 'G - or - g' with soft 'g's at either end.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Good GAWD someone change the topic quick.

As for the bad karma for the name Charles, I recall there was only one Charles who had a bad end. Charles II didn't do anything too bad or have anything bad happen to him, unless you count his wife being barren. I have no idea where I heard the "John being a taboo name" from and for all I know it really might not be true. All names have a bad history of they've been around long enough.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Charles II of course had multiple mistresses and children out of wedlock.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Charles II of course had multiple mistresses and children out of wedlock.

Him and every other king in Europe

 

[Ish]

So, for a change of subject the new (not really believable) rumour is that William and the Queen are on the outs because he wanted Guy Pelly as a godparent and she said no.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

Him and every other king in Europe

Not every King in Europe (let alone in the U.K) had had a mistress. Unless you mean other Kings of that time period.

George II, George III, George V And George VI were all Faithful to their Wives and none of them never had a mistress.

 

[BritishRoyalist]

So, for a change of subject the new (not really believable) rumour is that William and the Queen are on the outs because he wanted Guy Pelly as a godparent and she said no.

I think The Queen is the Only Grandmother Who can say 'I am Queen and you will say as I do' to her kids and Grandkids, William once said that what his Grandmother (The Queen) says goes and that it.

 

[USCtrojan]

I kind of hope Georgie has a bit of variety in his godparents! Known royal, not really known or deposed royal, aristocratic family friend and the guy/girl next door friend!

Have all popular royal god parents is fantastic and jolly, but its nice to have some change every once in awhile rather than the usual suspects so to speak!

I feel like we see a lot of the same godparents for each baby.

William and Catherine seem normal and down to earth, it will be interesting to see how this all pans out.

 

[Roslyn]

Charles II of course had multiple mistresses and children out of wedlock.

But he was really kind and generous to all 16 of his illegitimate children, and he didn't deny them. And he was great fun and utterly charming, and extremely popular.

 

[carlfraley]

I think it's cute. Simple (George ) denoting both many family members BUT also the LAST TWO previous ROYAL DUKES of Cambridge, a Royal Viceroy, A Royal Field Marshall, Commander in Chief,.not too shabby. IMO I think HM Queen Mary would have been delighted at the resurgence of the Cambridge title on one of her descendants, especially the Heir Presumptive. She'd be OVER the Moon at the name chice i think. Who's to say HMTQ didn't honor her grandmother in her choice of the title? Who's to say William didnt also honor his grandmother by further honoring hers? It's been said that HRH The Duke of Cambridge is very much a traditionalist as well on some things ,and he is very close to his grandmother so I don't see anything wrong with "George". What did HRHthe Duchess of Teck say in a letter once about her grandson the new Duke of York " later King George Vi, "let us hope as he grows up his other name "George"will soon surpass his less favored one " I.e. "Albert". Lol

 

[Osipi]

I think it's cute. Simple (George ) denoting both many family members BUT also the LAST TWO previous ROYAL DUKES of Cambridge, a Royal Viceroy, A Royal Field Marshall, Commander in Chief,.not too shabby. IMO I think HM Queen Mary would have been delighted at the resurgence of the Cambridge title on one of her descendants, especially the Heir Presumptive. She'd be OVER the Moon at the name chice i think. Who's to say HMTQ didn't honor her grandmother in her choice of the title? Who's to say William didnt also honor his grandmother by further honoring hers? It's been said that HRH The Duke of Cambridge is very much a traditionalist as well on some things ,and he is very close to his grandmother so I don't see anything wrong with "George". What did HRHthe Duchess of Teck say in a letter once about her grandson the new Duke of York " later King George Vi, "let us hope as he grows up his other name "George"will soon surpass his less favored one " I.e. "Albert". Lol

You make some excellent points here. There's really so many different reasons to see how George is a good name for the new prince. We'll probably never really know for sure but its fun pointing out the myriad of ways the name is suitable.

 

[Frideswide]

Oh, it's suitable, of course it is. There's just been so many of them. That's why I find it a very dull choice.

 

[cinrit]

I heard a report on another site (can't remember which), where they were quoting Prince Charles as saying his nickname would be 'Georgie'. Has anyone else heard this?

It's from this article, and I think other papers may have picked it up from there:

'George is a very good name... but he'll be called Georgie in no time!'

Prince Charles gives Royal baby name his seal of approval (but admits baby George will be getting a nickname before long) | Mail Online

 

[Mirabel]

I kind of hope Georgie has a bit of variety in his godparents!

I feel like we see a lot of the same godparents for each baby.

Eh, what does it even matter?
He probably won't see much of his godparents anyway.

How much does William see of his? Or Harry (well, except for Prince Andrew).

They are seldom photographed with any godparents, though it's possible they do see them privately on occasion.

 

[cristine]

When Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel have choosen the name Estelle for their daughter, a lot of people complain that the name was not regal, it wasn't Swedish enough, that it was tacky and so on.
Now William and Catherine choose a traditional name, used by kings in the past, that has a lot of tradition regarding UK, people still complain
I think a possible future monarch should have a traditional name, a name that reflect the past and the history of the country. That's why I prefer William and Kate choice than the ones from other royal couples.