Royal baby name: print off the Telegraph's sweepstake and play
As we enter Spring, the nation prepares for two monumental occasions: Brexit and the royal baby. We aren’t quite sure what the outcome will be for either but our uncertainty about the royal baby, unlike our uncertainty about Brexit, has given us the opportunity to have a bit of fun.
Gather your colleagues because it’s time for a sweepstake on the name of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby.
Simply click on the image below to create a printable pdf file, then all you need is a pair of scissors, a pen and up to 40 willing colleagues.
All eyes have been on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex throughout their royal romance - from the courtship, right through to their beautiful Windsor wedding. Now, with their first child on the way in late April or early May, we are eager for any news on the new royal arrival.
We don’t yet know the gender of the baby, although most of us are putting our money on it being a girl, with bookmaker William Hill setting odds of 8-11 (1-1 for it being a boy). There were rumours that the baby would be raised as gender neutral, but those rumours have since been denied.
If the baby is a girl, she will likely be named Victoria - at least, that’s what the punters have been betting. This name has, undeniably, a long connection with the monarchy.
Queen Victoria is the most iconic monarch that springs to mind, and it’s nice to think the royal couple could have been inspired by Jenna Coleman’s portrayal in the returning show.
However, Victoria was not, in fact, the queen’s real name, as she was born Alexandrina and her middle name was Victoria. She changed this after she ascended the throne in 1837.
If Meghan and Harry aren’t keen on Victoria, however, they may opt for Diana, a name that has betting odds of 10-1.
The most prominent Diana in royal history was, of course, the Princess of Wales. In May 2015, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge paid tribute to Prince William and Harry’s mother by naming their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
Bookmaker William Hill have also included the following as probable girls’ names for the new royal baby: Isobella/Isabella (12-1), Alice (12-1), Elizabeth and Grace (both 16-1).
If the baby is a boy, however, the bets are on him being called Arthur, at 14-1. According to the Office for National Statistics, this was one of the top 20 most popular boys’ names in England and Wales for 2017.
The name has a long and regal history. The most recent member of the royal family with this name was Queen Victoria’s son, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn. Before him, there was Prince Arthur, the brother of Henry VIII, who died at the age of 15. The most famous regal Arthur, however, is the British romantic hero, King Arthur, who, with his Knights of the Round Table, protected the land from Saxon invaders.
Other possible boys’ names include Edward, James and Phillip, all with odds of 16-1.
