Baby Cambridge: Potential Names and Godparents


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What do you think about 'princess Rachel'?
'New' and traditional :)

I don't think they'll use Rachel. Although is a beautiful name, Rachel was never used by the Royal Family.

It's almost certainly the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will use a traditional name that was previously used by a member of the British Royal Family. And I really believe they'll used a Hanoverian name.
 
What do you think about 'princess Rachel'?
'New' and traditional :)
It won't be Rachel. It has to be a Royal name especially since it the first child and a heir to the throne. I know some have said that Kate and William are known to break with tradition but this is one place where they will stick with tradition.
 
I dont think in the UK either the BRF or the public think in terms of Hanovarian. Its British.

Therefore, HArry, George, Edward, Alice, Mary, Elizabeth, Anne, Charles, William and Catherine are considered British names.

There is nothing Hanovarian about my family (English/Irish and Scots) but my parents were William and Elizabeth, and my sister is Rose and I am Catherine. British names.
 
I dont think in the UK either the BRF or the public think in terms of Hanovarian. Its British.

Therefore, HArry, George, Edward, Alice, Mary, Elizabeth, Anne, Charles, William and Catherine are considered British names.

There is nothing Hanovarian about my family (English/Irish and Scots) but my parents were William and Elizabeth, and my sister is Rose and I am Catherine. British names.

Hanoverian in the sense that the name was used by the House of Hanover and, subsequently, by the House Windsor.

Names like George, Victoria, Edward, Elizabeth and William.

Of course some of those names were used by Royal from previous Dynasties.
 
With the exception of Victoria, all those names were common place in the Uk from 1066 through Tudor times until today. Actually they are remarkable Tudor.

I dont think that the BRF see the naming of a child in dynastic or historical terms - its because they (1) like it and (2) appropriate [as in not ludicrous].
 
George Andrew Patrick David
Caroline Elizabeth Frances Mary

Godfathers: HRH Prince Henry of Wales, Mr Peter Phillips, Mr Guy Pelly
Godmothers: HRH Princess Beatrice of York, Miss Phillipa Middleton
 
:previous: like all of this except Guy Pelly. I think Hugh van Cutsem (or the father of little Grace if I've got the wrong member of that family)
 
With the exception of Victoria and George, all of those names were used many times by the BRF prior to the Hanovers and their descendants.

The only purely Hanoverian monarchical names are George and Victoria. The names used by the Mountbatten-Windsors so far have shown that they're not exactly clinging to the Hanoverian names - of the Queen's children and grandchildren, only two have names that can be considered to be monarchical Hanoverian names, and both were names used well before the Hanovers came onto the scene.

The Mountbatten-Windsor have not picked names purely because they're Hanoverian - instead they've largely done the opposite, and not at all used the two purely Hanoverian names in terms of monarchs. As such, there is no real reason to believe that the Cambridge Baby is going to be a George or a Victoria simply because they're Hanoverian names. Elizabeth, Charles, Anne, Henry, and James - all names used by the BRF and previous monarchs - are not Hanoverian names.
 
As I mentioned in #1509 - the names are not Hanovarian and that includes George. The 1st Duke of Clarence was George (died c. 1478) and George Villiers Duke of Buckingham are 2 examples.
 
But those names were more recently used by the Hanoverians and Windsors, but I know many of them were used used by the Normans, Tudors and Stuarts.

My guesses are:

Boy:

HRH Prince George Philip Arthur Michael of Cambridge.

Girl:

HRH Princess Elizabeth Victoria Diana Carole of Cambridge.

Godparents:

HRH Prince Harry of Wales.
Miss Philippa Middleton.
HRH the Countess of Wessex.
HRH Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece.
Mr. Hugh van Cutsem.
 
I think that girls names are tricky because so many historical names are already used by future European monarchs. I don't think they would repeat any of these as first names:

Elisabeth of Belgium
Victoria of Sweden
Mary of Denmark
Ingrid Alexandra of Norway
Mathilde of Belgium (British Empress Matilda 1141)

They won't pick Anne because two British princesses with that name would be confusing. I also think they will stay away from Caroline because of the Monaco princess. Other British Queens and consorts to consider would be Jane, Charlotte and Adelaide. I think Charlotte is the most likely choice, especially since it would also be in honor of Prince Charles.
 
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Godparents shocker- no Harry & Pippa


Roles as aunt and uncle trumps godparent. Kate doesn't want to pick her sister and not her brother.

Godparents: Zara or Sophie and David Linley from the family, friends Sam Whaley Cohen, Holly Branson, Emillia Jardine Patterson and a military colleague from Raf SAR
 
I think that girls names are tricky because so many historical names are already used by future European monarchs. I don't think they would repeat any of these as first names:

Elisabeth of Belgium
Victoria of Sweden
Mary of Denmark
Ingrid-Alexandra of Norway
Mathilde of Belgium (British Empress Matilda 1141)


There are two Alberts II currently reigning in Europe, and I don't think there is much confusion.

So, I don't think people will get confused with Queen Elizabeth III of the United Kingdom and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium.

As for Victoria, Baby Cambridge has more chances to be Monarch at the same time of Queen Estelle of Sweden, because Crown Princess Victoria is 36 years olders than he or she.
 
You're right! Both are reigning but one is King Albert and one is Prince Albert.

There are two Alberts II currently reigning in Europe, and I don't think there is much confusion.

So, I don't think people will get confused with Queen Elizabeth III of the United Kingdom and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium.

As for Victoria, Baby Cambridge has more chances to be Monarch at the same time of Queen Estelle of Sweden, because Crown Princess Victoria is 36 years olders than he or she.
 
My choice for a boy's name is Stephen. Stephen of Blois was King of England from 1135 to his death in 1154. He was a grandson of William the Conqueror.

For a girl, I would chose Ann-Victoria. I have a friend with this hyphenated name and I think it sounds very regal.
 
I think that girls names are tricky because so many historical names are already used by future European monarchs. I don't think they would repeat any of these as first names:

Elisabeth of Belgium
Victoria of Sweden
Mary of Denmark
Ingrid Alexandra of Norway
Mathilde of Belgium (British Empress Matilda 1141)

They won't pick Anne because two British princesses with that name would be confusing. I also think they will stay away from Caroline because of the Monaco princess. Other British Queens and consorts to consider would be Jane, Charlotte and Adelaide. I think Charlotte is the most likely choice, especially since it would also be in honor of Prince Charles.

I dont think we worry too much about what some continental royal is named as they are practically unknown in the UK and in a global sense will never be as well known as Baby Cambridge will be.
 
I dont think we worry too much about what some continental royal is named as they are practically unknown in the UK and in a global sense will never be as well known as Baby Cambridge will be.

Common sense approach. After all Queen Elizabeth had a daughter Princess Elizabeth and I don't recall anyone getting confused at the time.

People need to stop overthinking this.
 
Common sense approach. After all Queen Elizabeth had a daughter Princess Elizabeth and I don't recall anyone getting confused at the time.

People need to stop overthinking this.

Right?

James, Louise, Elizabeth, etc. Those children would not get confuse. They aren't in the same class and if they belong in the same family, that's what nicknames are for
 
I believe that on this Forum we think about issues that dont even come into the orbit of William and Catherine. That's my view. And duplication within the BRF is one of those. I dont think they even ponder on what is happening in other families. It's about what they like. (I'd like them to want Charlotte Rose for a girl but thats JMO).

But I dont really understand, Miche, what you point is. That's down to me but can you explain further?
 
I agree that the Cambridges don't care if the baby name is already used in Europe. I do think they would not use a name already in use in the immediate BRF except for Elizabeth or Phillip since they would be around too much longer.
 
I think we're more likely to see duplication in terms of Charles' siblings - we may see another Anne, Edward, or even a Charles or Elizabeth. I think another James or Louise is unlikely just because of the proximity of age. It doesn't really seem fair to either the Wessex or the Cambridge child - it'll do more to confuse the child's identity (for him or herself) than reusing a name that belongs to an aunt, uncle, or grandparent.

Someone (I think Mariel) made a good argument about name duplication a couple pages back in reference to avoiding using Elizabeth. I think it's even more important in avoiding the names used by the child's cousins (however removed) that are essentially of the same generation as them.
 
I dont think we worry too much about what some continental royal is named as they are practically unknown in the UK and in a global sense will never be as well known as Baby Cambridge will be.

Thank you!! I've made this point several times in this thread. With the greatest respect, most Brits likely don't know any of those continental royals exist, let alone what their names are. I'd be amazed if the names of European royals had any bearing whatsoever on the name the Cambridges choose.
 
I believe that on this Forum we think about issues that dont even come into the orbit of William and Catherine. That's my view. And duplication within the BRF is one of those. I dont think they even ponder on what is happening in other families. It's about what they like. (I'd like them to want Charlotte Rose for a girl but thats JMO).

But I dont really understand, Miche, what you point is. That's down to me but can you explain further?

People have said their child would get confuse if their name is a duplication of another royal name, especially those close in name. I said that would not be an issue at all.

If they want to name their child something they should go for it, not worry about how many Alexandra, James and Mary's are out there.

Sorry, I should have been clearer
 
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My choice for a boy's name is Stephen. Stephen of Blois was King of England from 1135 to his death in 1154. He was a grandson of William the Conqueror.
I would be totally gobsmacked (I love that word) if they chose Stephen. Stephen is considered an even worse king than John, Edward II or Richard II. His reign is called the "Time When Christ and All His Saints Slept" - things were THAT bad. There's not a snowball's chance on Venus that Baby Cambridge will be called "Stephen". :flowers:
 
I've never heard anything to suggest that Stephen himself was considered a bad monarch or that he was hated - granted I haven't read all that much about him. Personally, I would take any account of him written during the reign of Henry II (or even some later monarchs) with a grain of salt - whatever his skill as a monarch may have been, his rule was tarnished by civil war, and in the end he was succeeded by the son of the woman he usurped.
 
i don't know a lot about Stephen of Blois, except that in his time my Scots ancestor and his family hightailed it to Scotland from England. They had supported Matilda for the throne, and they had an invitation to come to Scotland and take part in the feudalization of the realm. They arrived with the Stuarts (Walter Fitzallen) along with other Stuart friends and settled mostly in the Lowlands, near Glasgow. I didn't realize until I read a recent article that they were invited in part because they knew how to build castles, and did so. There is some book called "The Castlebuilders." William the Lion asked my "uncle" (many times removed) Peter de Pollock to build a way station castle in Rothes in the North, although he already had a home in Renfrewshire, and my ancestor Robert de Pollock built a castle next door to Walter Fitzallen in what is now Pollock Park. A third brother Eli was a canon of Glasgow cathedral. I never heard of them until I started looking for my Scots relatives l5 years ago.
In a sense Stephen of Blois was responsible for the exit of these people to Scotland.
 
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Someone earlier in the the thread mentioned "Antonia" as a name for a girl. I like that name, it would be a beautiful non-traditional (within the BRF) yet classic/appropriate name for a princess/future Queen.

One thing to always remember is that the child will be a monarch someday. I see "Timothy" and "Patrick" suggested on here a lot, but when you put "King" in front of those names, it just doesn't sound right.

There's an outside chance that Will/Kate decide to go with something that's new to the BRF. I think they want to be seen as modernizing the monarchy and something "new" could lend that perception.

That being said, it would be considerably easier to for them to pick a "new" female name, IMO. I think they could get away with it because there have been fewer female monarchs throughout history and they wouldn't be seen as straying too far.

Here are some "non-traditional" names I like. They wouldn't be traditional within the BRF, but they would be considered classic.

Female names:
Julia...probably my favorite of the non-traditional names. Would honor the ancestress of the Mountbatten clan (Countess Julia Hauke), and Princess/Queen Julia has a nice ring to it. And it would be perfect if the baby is born, as expected, in July.
Antonia...see above
Philippa...obvious family connections. Princess/Queen Phillippa has a nice ring to it.
Emma...not a bad choice. And there's been a Queen Emma in the Netherlands, so it sounds okay.

Male names:
Christopher...Prince/King Christopher has a nice ring to it. Have been princes/kings with the name.
Anthony...similar to Antonia in that regard.
Nicholas...have been many famous royals in history with that name.
 
The current (republican) PM of Australia is Julia Gillard. Antonia is too similar to Anthony which is the name of former PM Tony Blair and the man who's likely to win the Australian general election in September, Tony Abbott. Plus, Antonia just doesn't 'sound' British to me.

I think it's fair to assume that they're unlikely to pick a name that's closely related to a current politician. I know we have Ed Milliband, but Edward has a sufficiently long and storied history in the BRF that it wouldn't be an issue. Plus, Ed Milliband is an irrelevance IMO.

I caught a couple of minutes of Doctor Who the other day and his new companion is called 'Clara', which is a lovely name IMO. It'll not be picked, but it's a nice one.
 
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