The Trend for Royal Baby Names

Will we see more babies called Mary or Albert in 2019?

There is no doubt that more traditional baby names have been popular for a while, the trend in so called “old lady” names such as Ivy, Lottie and Bonnie, is growing, and the more traditional “old man” names such as Archie, Reggie and Arthur have been popular for a while. But does the choice of royal baby names affect the names chosen by us commoners?

The name George has always been popular in the UK, in 2012 it was ranked thirteenth in a list of most popular boy’s names but following the arrival of Prince George of Cambridge the name George has moved up the rankings and is predicted to be the fourth most popular name in 2018. Princess Charlotte has had a similar effect, with the name Charlotte moving from number 26 in 20014 to a predicted fourteenth place in 2018.

Royal baby name trends?

So, what will a new royal baby mean for baby naming trends in 2019? Well, if we are to believe the bookies, Kate is having a girl with the name Mary as their favourite at 3/1. We could also see an Alice (8/1), a Victoria (12/1) and an Elizabeth (14/1). If the new royal baby is a boy then Albert and Arthur are currently at 14/1 with Frederick at 16/1.

So, would you consider a royal name for your little prince or princess? A regal name has many benefits, it can suggest tradition and respectability and is easily recognisable to others which should avoid the embarrassment of mispronunciation and avoid the tedium of having to continuously spell it out.  Your child may, however, find themselves with lots of little friends also called Mary, Alice or Arthur.

At the time of writing we are still waiting for the third royal baby and we wish the Duchess of Cambridge all the very best for a swift and straightforward delivery. And who knows – Kate and William may not stick with tradition, William Hill is currently offering odds of 500/1 on the birth of a Princess Waynetta or Prince Nigel as fifth in line to the throne.