He’ll probably never be king, but bookmakers think the most likely name for the royal baby is one with a strong link to the history of the United Kingdom – and the fictional kingdom of Camelot.
Various betting sites have convened their respective round tables of experts, and the odds unanimously suggest that Arthur is the most likely name for the third child of Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge.
To name the new prince Arthur would be a nod to Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, whose middle name was Arthur.
Prince Arthur would almost assuredly never become King Arthur, barring some tremendous tragedy that would have to remove the boy’s great-grandmother, grandfather, father and two older siblings from the line of succession.
The website , which aggregates the odds offered at more than a dozen bookmakers in the U.K., shows all of those bookies listing Arthur as the top choice for name.
The second-most favoured choice is James, followed by Philip, Albert, Fred/Frederick and Thomas. Other, more distant possibilities include Henry, Alexander and Edward.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t place a bet on a more Kardashian-esque name for the little prince.
May we suggest:
- Prince Valiant
- Prince Northeast
- Prince Kyng
- Prince Kween
- Prince Copies
- Prince Ess
- Prince Iple
- Prince Hamlet
- Prince T’Challa
(If one of these wins, we get a cut – but don’t blame us if they don’t pan out.)
It might have been fitting to name the boy George, if that name hadn’t already been used for his elder brother. Monday is St. George’s Day on the British calendar.
It also happens to be the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, but he wasn’t a member of the Royal Family – and that name is already taken as well.
Bookmakers were right in 2013, when they listed George as the No. 1 choice for the firstborn prince. Charlotte was the second-most favoured choice of name among bookies in 2015.