Royal kids are traditionally given three things after they're born and it actually solves a huge parenting dilemma.
Anyone who has children will know the huge pressure to pick a baby name that not only will they like but that will stand the test of time as the child gets older. Many new babies are given unusual baby names or Disney baby names which have become increasingly popular.
But when you've got a few names shortlisted and struggle to choose one you like, or have a more than one family member that you want to honour, the royals have a tradition that might solve these parenting dilemmas.
It is royal tradition that children receive not one but three first names and it's a hack that you'll wish you did too.
Prince George's full name is Prince George Alexander Louis of Wales, and it has a special meaning. George was the name of Queen Elizabeth's father George V1 and the prince will be the seventh King George on the throne. Alexander is thought to be in tribute to his Great Grandma, the Queen, whose full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. Meanwhile the name Louis is thought to be named after his father, William Arthur Philip Louis, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh's uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten.
Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte is Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Wales - in tribute to her grandfather King Charles by having the female version of the name Charles, after her late great grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and her late grandmother Princess Diana.
And Prince Louis is Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Wales paying tribute to his dad Prince William's middle name, Prince Philip's uncle and King Charles' mentor the late Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was murdered in an IRA bombing in 1979.
Royals with three first names
- George Alexander Louis (son of Prince William and Kate Middleton)
- Charlotte Elizabeth Diana (daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton)
- Louis Arthur Charles (son of Prince William and Kate Middleton)
- August Philip Hawke (son of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank)
- Ernest George Ronnie (son of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank)
- Zara Anne Elizabeth (daughter of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips)
- Peter Mark Andrew (son of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips)
- Savannah Anne Kathleen (daughter of Peter and Autumn Phillips)
British Royals often give their children multiple middle names as a way to honour ancestors, family members, or important figures in British history. it is a tradition that dates back centuries and is a way for the Royal Family to reflect their heritage and connections to their country's past.
Additionally, it is also thought that by having multiple middle names it can help protect the child's privacy and be less identifiable than if they had just their first and last name.
The number of names vary because of historical practices, cultural norms and individual preference of family members.
Royals with four first names
- Charles Philip Arthur George (son of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip)
- William Arthur Philip Louis (son of King Charles and the late Princess Diana)
- Henry (Harry) Charles Albert David (son of King Charles and the late Princess Diana)
- Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary (daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie)
- James Alexander Philip Theo (son of Prince Edward and Sophie)
- Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip)
- Edward Antony Richard Louis (son of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip)
- Andrew Albert Christian Edward (son of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip)
Princess Eugenie kept with royal tradition by giving her sons August and Ernest three names - August Philip Hawke and Ernest George Ronnie while her sister Princess Beatrice opted for just two names a first and middle name for daughter Sienna, whom she named Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also chose two names for Archie Harrison and Lilibet Diana and Zara and Mike Tindall chose two names for their three children, Mia Grace, Lena Elizabeth and Lucas Philip. While Peter and Autumn Phillips chose Isla Elizabeth for their daughter.
Royals with two first names
- Archie Harrison (son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle)
- Lilibet Diana (daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle)
- Mia Grace (daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall)
- Lena Elizabeth (daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall)
- Lucas Philip (son of Zara and Mike Tindall)
- Isla Elizabeth (daughter of Peter and Autumn Phillips)
- Sienna Elizabeth (daughter of Princess Eugenie and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi)
And goodto.com deputy editor Heidi Scrimgeour has admitted she gave her children three names each long before Prince George, 10, was even born.
She tells us, "It didn’t actually occur to me that giving a child three names - a first name and two middle names - was all that unusual until someone mentioned that the Royal children have three names each. (I think I started that trend, actually…)
"My three kids each have three names. Their first names have no family connections - they’re just names we loved for a variety of reasons, from being the name of a character in my favourite book (Alba from The Time Traveller’s Wife) to having meanings - like ‘laughter’ - that I liked the idea of ascribing to my kids through their names. But their middle names - all six of them - were chosen to honour family members in different ways."
Heidi explained, "My eldest has my dad’s name and my husband’s brother’s name as his middle names. We chose my husband’s name and his dad’s name as our second child’s middle names. And my youngest, after her first name, was named for my grandmother and my husband’s mum."
"Deep down, I think also chose two middle names for each child because we chose fairly unconventional first names - Edan, Zack and Alba - so I liked knowing that we’d given them a couple of solid alternatives to go by, should they grow up wishing for less unusual names.
She added, "I have no regrets about giving my kids three names, like the Royal kids have, except when it comes to back-to-school month. Writing out nine names repeatedly on endless forms makes me wish, even fleetingly, that I’d stuck with one very short first name for each kid."
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