The impact the Queen's death could have on baby names

Royal baby names have always been popular but experts are predicting a surge in the number of parents naming their newborns Elizabeth following the Queen's death.

The moniker has gone through highs and lows in popularity over the years and is currently ranked at 56 in the names chart, down from 26 a quarter of a century ago.

But baby naming experts believe we could see a rise in parents lovingly calling their little ones Elizabeth, in honour of Her Majesty.

“After 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II saw baby name trends rise, fall and rise again – but I expect her sombre passing will see many 2022 and 2023 babies named in her honour," baby name expert SJ Strum from the Baby Name Envy podcast tells Yahoo UK.

Strum says Elizabeth is actually one of the most versatile girl names around.

“From the glorious Elizabeth to Lizzie, Liz, Liza and Beth, it can be adapted to suit your child’s personality, age and stage in life," she says.

We might also expect to see more parents follow in the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes footsteps and name their child Lilibet, she adds

“The Queen's personal nickname 'Lilibet' was controversially used by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as their daughter’s name, but there is a strong chance it will now be adopted much more widely.

"Despite being almost a century old, it is fresh, pretty and sounds both classic and modern which is a very unusual trait," says Strum.

While we could soon be seeing a whole swathe of mini Elizabeths in tribute to the late monarch, Strum doesn't believe we will see the same effect for the Queen's middle names.

“Her Majesty's middle names – Alexandra and Mary – have both fallen out of the top 100 down, to 136 and 291 respectively," she explains.

"I can’t see either of those making a comeback anytime soon.

"Alexandra is too close to the now much-maligned Alexa while Mary is perhaps a little staid for modern tastes.

"Additionally very few people actually knew the Queen’s middle names."

However, Strum does predict a rise in the use of the name 'Queenie'.

"It is still very low in the charts, at 2683, but is a budding hipster favourite and a modern twist to honour our dear departed Monarch.”

Watch: A look at the Queen's well-known love of Corgis

While royal names do tend to be perennial picks for parents-to-be, experts had previously predicted this year would see a particular spike in the popularity of regal monikers, thanks to the celebrations surrounding the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

"As the Queen plans to celebrate her 70th year on the throne, we believe some royal names will see a resurgence this year," Sarah Redshaw, managing editor for BabyCentre UK, said earlier this year.

At the time, the names baby experts predicted would be popular were: Elizabeth, Betty, Eliza, Elsbeth and possibly a few Lilibets.

The birth of royal babies also typically has an impact on baby names, causing something of a hike in regal monikers.

Back in 2016, according to stats from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), George swiftly climbed to snatch the number three spot for boys following the birth of Prince George in July 2013.

Royal fever also hit after Princess Charlotte was born in May 2015, with the name rising 13 places in one year to occupy the 12th spot.

It made Charlotte one of the highest climbing names in 2016, with over 2,600 babies being named after the little princess that year.

And Louis recently bagged fourth spot in terms of popular regal boys names, followed by the moniker of his big brother Prince George.

Strum previously explained the appeal of royal names for soon-to-be parents.

“Just like a company given a Royal Warrant sees a sales boost, names given a royal seal of approval see a popularity surge,” she says.

“Parents view royal names as prestigious, thoughtful and timeless, which are desirable traits for any child to carry through life.

“Every parent wants a name their child can be proud of, and unless you are vehemently anti-royalist, a royal name is always classic and fits well into any walk of life.

"Indeed you could even say a royal name is a child’s crowning glory.”