Avoiding royal baby's name...

[MrsMcW]

DC1 is due in early April, and I'm very conscious that Royal Baby No.3 is due around that time as well. I really want to avoid picking the same name as the royals... not because I have anything against the royal family but because I don't want the inevitable comments of 'oh, like the prince/princess!' if they do end up the same. A friend's DS is called George and arrived two weeks before the prince - whilst she still loves the name it's irritated her ever since.

After much deliberation, DH and I have decided that Robert, nn Robbie, is our no.1 choice for a boy, followed by Charles / Charlie if he
doesn't look like a Robert on arrival. For a girl, we like Tabitha or Flora. I feel as though we are on safe ground with the girls' names, but are we running a risk with Robert and Charles?

Obviously if the new regal cherub arrives first then problem solved!

Are you bothered by 'Charles... As in the Prince???'

I think you may well be OK with Charles as they already have a Charlotte. Not sure about Robert - no princely history (unlike Rupert)

Flora is a bit Bonnie Prince Charlie, but I don't see them going for it (because if the margarine, sorry). Tabitha is a lovely name!

The only one I'd say could be a risk is Charles, but if you plan to call him Charlie from the start, that should be fine. Good names choices though - love them all!

I think you'll be fine. I could see them using Charles as a middle name, but not as a first name. Two Prince Charles's would be silly. And Robert is unlikely since it's not really an English royal name, so unless they want to go all Scottish with a Robert the Bruce reference, I think you're safe.

Also, you could avoid registering your baby's name until the royal baby is born and their name is announced. That way, if you really want to, you could swap middle/first names or just choose something else.

I doubt they'd use Charles, except as a middle name - bear in mind that the PoW is going to become King within the near-ish future and unless he uses a different regnal name they won't want a King Charles and a Prince Charles. Worth bearing in mind, of course, that this will happen fairly early in your child's life, so they would grow up with the same name as the monarch.

I think Robert, Tabitha and Flora are all pretty safe. They strike me as the kind of names that the Cambridges would probably love to use but can't because of the weight of family precedent.

I think you're safe. Charles is the only remotely 'royal name on your list and they won't have a Charles and a Charlotte. I do hate them for having a Charlotte though

I think you’re safe with Charles.

They already have a Charlotte, which is a very similar name to Charles.

Although I think the suggestion about delaying registering your child’s name until after Royal baby’s name is announced (if possible) is a good suggestion, if you want to be sure to avoid accidental name duplication.

You will always get those comments no matter what "royal" name you go for especially with the time your due, your probably safe with those names though but as a poster above said does "Prince Charles" comments not bother you?

I think the only ones the royals might use is Charles though I agree that having a Charlotte maybe rules out a Charles.

Robert is a fine name.

Prince Charles is apparently not intending to be King Charles but King Something Else - I think either George or Edward. not like it's anyone cares

I think you're fine with Robert or Charles.

I would say you're safe with Robert and Charles. Can't imagine they'll use Robert and Charles is the masculine version of Charlotte.

Prince Charles is apparently not intending to be King Charles but King Something Else

Really? I have never heard that - you'd think he'd be getting people used to his new name by, erm, using it!

Yes, I'd heard Charles intends to go by a different name. I think that's not uncommon. I don't think George VI was a George until he came to the throne. And popes do it !

The theory is that previous kings called Charles have not been entirely auspicious (Charles I had his head chopped off, and Charles II had masses of children by his mistresses but didn't manage any legitimate issue) so the present Prince Charles may choose something different for his regnal name. George VI was Albert (Bertie) before his accession and Victoria was Alexandrina. However, neither of them had to wait until their seventies to accede the throne.

Thank you everyone! I'm not bothered by association with the current Prince Charles - it's such a popular name anyway that I don't think anyone will make the connection. It's more if there are two babies born within weeks of each other, it might look like I'm fangirling over the new royal. Past history would also indicate that there will be an upsurge in the number of babies with whatever name they choose, which again would be nice to avoid!

I hadn't thought about not having a Charlotte and a Charles as brother and sister, definitely a good point. I'm hoping they won't go for Robert either as it's very Scottish (which DH and I are) unless they want to pay tribute to the fact Will and Kate are also Earl and Countess of Strathearn. Robert is a regal name in Scots history...

OP I'm in the same position, due early April, don't know the sex but love Mary for a girl and saw an article today that it's the bookies' favourite! Really hoping they don't go for that one - I thought it was unusual these days.

Unless they want to hark back to Robert the Bruce you'll probably be safe!

I would say Robert is fairly safe. And even if they do call their child Robert go for it anyway.

I fell in love with the name Charlotte when I had my DD and it was the only name me and hubby could agree on but she spend around 15 hours nameless because I didn't want people thinking I'd named her after the princess (as opposed to the early 00s band she's actually named after ) in the end I just said eff it and called her it anyway