As royal baby watch comes to an end, the royal baby name game has begun.
Following the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s first child, a son, many royal fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the little one’s name, which will likely pay tribute to past royals.
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As revealed by the Duke of Sussex during his first address following the birth, the couple has not yet decided on a name for their little one, though they are expected to make a formal announcement, and provide the first photos of their child, in the coming days.
“The baby was a little bit overdue so we’ve had a little bit of time to think about it. That’s the next bit,” he said, adding that they are “still thinking about names” and will make another announcement in two days’ time “so everyone can see the baby.”
The fact that a moniker has not yet been chosen has not stopped royal betters from guessing, however, and some new front runners have arisen.
“It’s the news the world has been waiting for days and now that the Royal Couple have announced they have had a little baby boy, attention now turns to what his name will be,” Betfair spokesperson Katie Baylis told the Daily Mail.
Currently, James and Alexander are the top contenders at 7/2.
“James and Alexander are the joint favourites at 7/2, both slashed from 12/1 after a flurry of bets on both names in the last few hours,” Baylis said. “They overtake previous favourite for a boy, Arthur which is at 6/1, with two equally traditional names Edward and Oliver at 12/1.”
James, of course, would pay tribute to a number of former monarchs of both British and Scottish origin, as the moniker reigned throughout much of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. Should that be the chosen name, baby Sussex would share a name with Prince Edward’s son James, Viscount Severn.
Should the new parents choose Alexander, the name would pay direct homage to the Queen, whose middle name is Alexandra.
Given that royals typically favor names that give a nod to their ancestors, other possibilities could include Charles, paying homage to the new royal’s grandfather, Prince Charles, or Philip, after the Duke of Edinburgh.
Others include James, Albert, Frederick, Arthur, or even Henry, which is Harry’s actual first name.
Ultimately, fans will just have to wait for the official announcement from the couple, which is likely to be made on their joint Instagram account, [Sussex Royal].
