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With thousands of names to choose from, deciding what to name your baby can create tension in even the most relaxed parents-to-be. If you've decided to buck trendy names and instead focus on more classic ones, you may be drawn to royal baby names.
Royal names are typically rooted in tradition and heritage, which means that the same names are used repeatedly, generation after generation, and often represent specific qualities in their ancestors. Here are a few royalty-inspired names to consider.
More from Mom.com: Baby Names Inspired by Royalty
Royal baby names for boys
If you find yourself leaning toward royal baby names for boys, you shouldn't have too much difficulty if choosing among the British royal family members. Here are some baby boy names from some of the most well-known royals.
William
The name William, which means "strong-willed warrior," was ranked as the #6 most popular baby name in the US in 2022, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA) website. It was the name that the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, named their first-born son and heir to the throne, William Arthur Philip Louis.
George
In 2013, adhering to the tradition of naming sons after former kings, new Prince and Princess of Wales William and Kate named their son Prince George Alexander Louis. Named after nine other kings or heirs to the English throne — including Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI — the name George means "farmer."
Archie
In 2019 the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, named their baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, a name that has slowly increased in popularity in the US since 2020. It is now the 337th most popular name in the country, according to the SSA.
Phillip
While dropping in popularity, the name Phillip was the 494th most popular name in the US. The late Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, who died in 2021 was the longest serving royal consort — spouse of a monarch — in history.
Peter
The name Peter is of Greek origin and means "rock" or "stone," and is the first name of the late Queen Elizabeth II eldest grandchild. Peter Phillips, while still a royal (he's the son of Princess Anne) does not have a royal title for two reasons; he is descended from the maternal line and his father refused to take a title when he married Princess Anne.
If you're having trouble deciding on just one name, it can't hurt to give your baby a middle name, or three. For instance, Prince George's dad's full name is Prince William Arthur Philip Louis and his uncle Harry's full name is Henry Charles Albert David and his grandfather, King Charles' full name is Charles Phillip Arthur George. The more (names) the merrier, after all!
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Royal baby girl names
Did you know that typically most royals don't have last names? This may be why longer middle names are so common among royal family members, but usually they won't go by their surnames.
In the case of Archie and Lilibet, they use Mountbatten-Windsor. Will and Kate's children go by the last name Cambridge, the area of their parents's dukedom, when at school. While not assigning a last name isn't something we as commoners can get away with, we can find baby name inspiration in some of these royal baby girl names.
Catherine
Not all royal babies are named after kings and queens. Some names are attached to princess and princesses or dukes and duchesses, or even godparents. For instance the name Kate, for the formal Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has been enjoying a rise in popularity. In 2022, Kate was the 452nd most popular baby name in the US.
Diana
Diana ranked as the 228th most popular baby name in 2022, and is of course the name of just about everyone's favorite princess. In 2021, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex named their daughter Lilibet Diana after both her grandmother and great-grandmother. The name originates from the Greek word for "divine."
Elizabeth
Consistently in the top 20 most popular names in the US, Elizabeth means "God's promise." When George VI died in 1952 and his brother Edward VII abdicated the throne, George's daughter Elizabeth was thrust into the role of Queen of England at the age of 25.
Zara
The name Zara, which means "blooming flower," was the 201st most popular baby name in the US, according to SSA data. Olympian Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips — now Zara Tindall — is the sister of Peter Phillip.
Sophie Kihm, a freelance writer and contributor for baby-naming site Nameberry, explained her reasoning behind choosing the name Zara for her baby girl.
"Because I grew up in Spain and all my family lives over there, I really wanted it to be a name that could easily be said in both English and Spanish. Although it’s of Arabic origins, Zara is very easily said and an established name in both Spanish and English cultures," Kihm wrote on Nameberry. "Largely influenced in Spain of course by their most popular shop! And in the UK it has a more royal connotation, thanks to Zara Tindall (the queen’s granddaughter!)."
Alexandra
Queen Elizabeth's cousin, Princess Alexandra, is a lesser-known but well respective and active member of the royal family. The name Alexandra, which means "defender of humankind," is particularly appropriate as Princess Alexandra is involved in a number of humanitarian efforts.
Top UK baby names inspired by royals
Naming trends in the US vs. the UK do indicate some similarities, but there are more differences than you might expect. For one, the number one boy name in the US, Liam, didn't even make the top twenty in the UK in 2022. But America could be inspiring baby names in England in other ways.
"Who could have predicted that wild west names would be a new trend," BabyCentre's Sarah Redshaw told Daily Mail. Redshaw cited the increase in cowboy-themed searches for names like Billy, Wyatt, Pearl and Clementine, across the BabyCentre website.
To switch things up, we've compiled a list of some of the most common baby names in the UK. Did your possible baby girl name make the list?
Lily
Of Latin origin, the baby name Lily means "innocence." It is also Lilibet's nickname, though hers is spelled with an "i" instead of a "y."
Sophia
Sophia, from the Greek for "wisdom," is a common name both in the US and the UK. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is married to King Charles III youngest sibling, Prince Edward. In the US, Sophia ranked the 5th most popular baby girl name in 2022.
Olivia
Olivia took the number one spot in both the US and the UK in 2022. The name means "peace," and while there aren't any royal family members named Olivia, the name is almost connected to royalty. In the 18th century Olivia Serres was an imposter who claimed she was a princess, and contemporary English actress Olivia Colman was revered for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown.
Charlotte
Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, born in 2015, is currently third in the line of succession to the throne. The name Charlotte is the female variation of the name Charles.
Arthur
Derived from "artos" which means "bear," the name Arthur gained popularity in Medieval England after the reign of King Arthur, but has seen a resurgence in the UK.
Harry
The name Harry means "home ruler," which given all of the drama surrounding Harry, Meghan and The Royal Family, is quite ironic. Regardless, if you like the tradition of a classic royal name but prefer something more casual, consider using a nickname. After the birth of their son Henry, Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced that he would be known as Harry, a name that has stuck.
