Originally Posted by morhange

Something that just hit me earlier when I was reading hellomagazine's online article about the Luxembourg wedding anniversary.

All of the current Crown Princesses in Europe, and most of them are commoners, still have very regal names. You have Mary, Mathilde, Maxima, Letizia, Sophie, Maria Teresa (because she's a commoner, but her name is still very royal). The only one which sort of isn't is Mette-Marit, but it easily sounds just as regal and pretty, and it's very unique.

Very interesting that these princes chose to marry commoner ladies with such gloriously royal names. Thank goodness, otherwise we might be gossiping about Crown Princess Cindy of Denmark, or the Hereditary Princess Gretchen (not that there's anything wrong with these names, but I think you get what I mean)

Originally Posted by KikkiB

Before CP Haakon married CP Mette-Marit, my friends and I talked about how strange it would be if we got a princess called Bente (to no offence for those who have this name), which is a very common (16761 have this name) and not very unique Norwegian girls name. Thankfully, we didn't, but I guess you can't be blamed for the name your parents chose. Though, as you say, Mette-Marit is more unique, and it is only 23 women in Norway who has this exact name. Though, Mette (9881) and Marit (28526), seperately, are more common.

Statistics found at: www.ssb.no

Originally Posted by norwegianne

When Mette-Marit married Haakon, there was talk about getting her a more regal sounding name in one editorial or something like that.

The interesting part is that when Haakon's grandmother - Crown Princess Märtha married Crown Prince Olav - there were talk about giving her a more Norwegian-sounding name and, I can't remember which, at the moment, but either Mette or Marit were one of the names suggested. It should be noted that Märtha was Swedish and married Olav less than three decades after the union between Norway and Sweden was dissolved, thus feelings in Norway might've been suspected of being a bit tense towards Swedes...

I'm personally just thrilled that Sonja's spelling her name the way she is, and not an alternate Norwegian spelling - which is actually discouraged now, but there are people who spell their name that way - Sånnja. It's the way it is pronounced, yes, but it looks awful in writing, and not very regal.

I guess it is important with the recent influx in commoner brides - to consider what you name your child ;) You never know where they'll be in the future.

Originally Posted by Shadiyah2086

If Prince Harry married Chelsy Davy (I'm praying he doesn't) would she have to change her name so that it would sound more regal cause Princess Chelsy doesn't really cut it for me.

Originally Posted by KikkiB

I've also heard something about that, of Mette-Marit changing her name to something more royal (just didn't know how to put it in writing without sounding "republican" - so thank you :) ). Kind of stupid to ask someone to change their name just because it's too common, whatever that is :eek: I doubt that parents, in their wildest dreams, think of whether their children will become prince/princess when they think of names! But parents nowadays ought to, since there is a slight chance that their bundles of joys might end up at Skaugum or the Palace in 30 years time :D

Originally Posted by Princess Robijn

Didn't Pss Laurentien of the Netherlands changed her first name.. wasn't it Petra before she married Prince Constantijn??

Originally Posted by magnik

Yes, Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst.

Originally Posted by RachelD

Did she legally remove her first name, or does she still have it but goes by Laurentien?

Originally Posted by magnik

Mette-Marit - I found that the name Mette - is Danish and Norwegian pet form of Margaret; Marit - is Norwegian and Swedich form of Margaret. Than it's very royal name/names I think.

Originally Posted by Henri M.

We do not administrate 'calling names' in the Netherlands. My registered names are Henri Antoine Marie but I can choose out of the three or even a different name. Often the first name is the 'calling name', but not always.

Princess Laurentien by birth was registered as Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst, daughter of mr. Laurens-Jan Brinkhorst and mrs. Jantien Heringa.

Upon her marriage she wanted to be known as Princess Laurentien. Her own choice and it was a name she had all her life long.

Originally Posted by Danielane

I found that Mette was a form of Mathilde/Maud.

Originally Posted by RachelD

So her name is still Petra Laurentien but she just prefers to be called Laurentien...cool! My full name is Rachel Elizabeth...so if I wanted to go by Elizabeth instead of Rachel, I'd be doing the same thing that Laurentien did, right?