Choosing a baby's name can be a daunting task for first-time parents, especially if he is in line to become the next King. So when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their first child Prince George almost nine years ago, they knew he would have to have a strong name.
The couple settled on calling their child George with his middle names being Alexander and Louis. However, it seems that George wasn’t always the first choice for new mum Kate - and in fact, she was desperate to call him by one of his middle names instead.
According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, Kate had her “heart set on” the name Alexander, though the couple had not decided for sure. She said: “Courtiers insisted the pair had not found out the sex of their unborn baby, and friends close to the couple claim William wanted a surprise.
“Although Kate apparently suspected it was a boy and had set her heart on the name Alexander, they had not yet decided what to call their firstborn.”
So how did they make the final decision and call their baby George? They reportedly roped in another family member - their pet dog Lupo, according to Mirror Online.
According to The Times, they reportedly wrote all the possible names on pieces of paper, put them on the floor of their home, and let Lupo in to see which piece of paper he went over to - and it is thought he picked George. The Cambridge's first got Lupo in 2012, and he appeared in many of the family’s official photos.
However, the pet passed away in 2020 and the family, which now includes Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, have another dog, also a black cocker spaniel called Orla, who has been seen in public on several occasions. Meanwhile, the name that Lupo supposedly picked has great significance as “George” is a direct tribute to the young prince’s great-great-grandfather, King George VI (the Queen’s father).
The first of Prince George’s middle names, Alexander, pays tribute to the Queen, whose full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. George’s third name, Louis, is the same middle name as his dad, Prince William, whose full name is William Arthur Philip Louis.
And, of course, it’s also one he shares with his younger brother, whose full name is Louis Arthur Charles.
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