Royal baby names: What are the favourites?
Ever since Kensington Palace announced the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were expecting their third child, bookmakers have been taking bets on what the new prince might be called.
When it comes to the most popular, names with a royal precedent have been among the favourites. And now that the gender is known, the betting has been narrowed down to traditional boys' names which link royal past with present. So, what are the front-runners?
Arthur
When it comes to boys' names, the shortest odds are on Arthur. At 3/1 at Paddy Power, this choice would follow the recent trend for "vintage" names making a resurgence. There are, of course, strong family links too. Arthur is a middle name for both Prince William and Prince Charles
Alexander
This 5/1 shout is the first of Prince George's middle names, so it's up for debate whether William and Kate will chose it again. Still, this name of Greek origin was given to three Scottish kings, not forgetting Alexander the Great, who is often referred to as one of the most influential people in history.
Albert
Another strong contender, this is the third favourite at the bookmakers, with the shortest odds at 5/1 at William Hill and Betfred. This Germanic name, meaning 'noble' and 'bright', would pay tribute to Queen Victoria's husband.
James, Philip or Henry
Next in the betting at 8/1 is James, which was the 12th most popular boys name in the UK in 2016. There have been two British kings with the name James. It's followed by Philip, with many predicting that Prince William will name his third child after his 96-year-old grandfather. Philip is joint at 12/1 with Henry, which give a nod to Prince Harry. It was the 15th most popular boys name in 2016, although Harry has recently been the most favoured of the two.
Frederick
Frederick is a Germanic name said to mean 'peaceful ruler'. There have been several heirs to the throne with this name, and it has been the middle name of a few monarchs, including George V and George VI.
Edward
It's one of the most popular names for kings, but the bookmakers odds of 33/1 suggest it's not among the favourites. The Queen chose it for her youngest son, Prince Edward, and as a middle name for her third child, Prince Andrew.
Outsiders
Daniel, David, Joseph, Matthew and Oliver are among the 50/1 outsiders in the betting. Alistair and Archie are both listed at 100/1.
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