# Royal Baby name **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256 "2013-07-22T22:20:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/161 "2013-07-25T18:38:03Z")
“We’ll even call [our first son] Louis if you like. Louis le Premiere, how’s that for a King of England?!” Henry II to his mistress, Alais (daughter of King Louis VII of France) in THE LION IN WINTER ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/162 "2013-07-26T02:07:52Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > What first names tend to be upmarket and downmarket in the UK? Any rhyme or reason to them? Well, Lewis is usually a last name, and the trend of last names as first names is rather downmarket (in the US, too – “Jordan,” “Taylor”… no offense), plus it’s Welsh. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/163 "2013-07-26T02:29:08Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Well, Lewis is usually a last name, and the trend of last names as first names is rather downmarket (in the US, too – “Jordan,” “Taylor”… no offense), plus it’s Welsh. “Lewis” is originally a given name. It’s a family name only in the sense of “descendant of Lewis.” ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/164 "2013-07-26T05:57:39Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I wonder why they choose to honor only _one_ of the Beatles (and the “quiet one” at that) and ignore the other three, including the two that are still living? Royals- who can figger 'em out. Well, come on, use your head! Two Popes already took Lennon and McCartney’s names. And since Starkey is still living, that leaves Harrison’s name. It makes sense to me. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/165 "2013-07-26T15:42:11Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Well, come on, use your head! Two Popes already took Lennon and McCartney’s names. And since Starkey is still living, that leaves Harrison’s name. It makes sense to me. 🆒 There was a Beatle named Francis? 😕 Was he the drummer before Ringo? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/166 "2013-07-26T15:52:59Z")
Pope Francis, the first of his name, is two popes? Simultaneously all at once together? ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/167 "2013-07-26T17:16:35Z")
He would have gone for three, simultaneously, all at once together, but, you know, didn’t want to push his luck. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/168 "2013-07-26T20:11:18Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > Technically speaking, [George](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_(given_name)) is just as Greek as [Alexander](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander). As is Philip, directly imported by a Byzantine princess into the French royal house. And Louis is German, imported by the Carolingian Franks into France. So we have _Greek name-Greek name-German name_ for the prince. None of which means anything of course. The only stereotypical Anglo-Saxon names used with any frequency post-Conquest is Edward, mostly because the otherwise very franco-centric Henry III was fascinated with the cult of Edward the Confessor ( he also resurrected Edmund for his younger son ). Just luck of the draw - if Edward I’s eldest to survive toddler-hood had lived long enough to take the throne, it would have likely engendered a procession of kings named [Alphonso](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonso,_Earl_of_Chester). If Edward I’s eldest born ( John, died ~ age 5 ) had lived or Edward III had died young, England would have seen more than one King [John](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Eltham,_Earl_of_Cornwall) and the later animus attached to the name would have probably been snuffed out. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/169 "2013-08-02T17:00:40Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > As is Philip, directly imported by a Byzantine princess into the French royal house. From “Philippos”, “philos” + “hippos”, meaning friend or lover or horses. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256/170 "2013-08-02T20:33:29Z")
Um, of horses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/royal-baby-name/664256.md?page=8)