John Stillwell/PA Wire/Press Association via AP ImagesIs "mum" literally the word when it comes to naming the new Royal Baby?
Kate Middleton, aka Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is set to give birth later this month and give her and husband Prince William's 1-year-old son Prince George an little brother or sister (a "spare" to the "heir," as the somewhat disturbing saying goes). That's right, like during her first pregnancy, the couple has not revealed the sex of their new child.
A new member of the royal family is traditionally be named after...a member of the royal family. However, there's a small chance the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will opt to break tradition (what?) by picking a family name, but from Kate's side. They may compromise by choosing one name from the prince's family and another from the duchess' for first and second names.
CNN Royal Commentator Victoria Arbiter, whose father, Dickie Arbiter, was a press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, spoke to E! News about the name possibilities. Victoria, who predicted Kate and William would name their son George, said the two are not likely to choose for their second child a name from the duchess' family.
"There has been a lot of talk about James, but people kept saying that they wouldn't pick James because of James Middleton, the reason more they wouldn't pick James is because Prince Edward's son is called James," she said. "I don't think they will want to repeat the name of a current living member of the Royal family. Perhaps a middle name. You might see Michael in there for a middle for a boy, but not a first name."
Here are several possibilities for baby names from Kate's side of the family.
Potential girls' names:
1. Carole, named after Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, formerly Carole Goldsmith
2. Valerie, named after Kate's paternal grandmother, Valerie Middleton, formerly Valerie Glassborow. Who was, by the way, as gorgeous as her granddaughter and a member of Britain's "spy school" during World War II.
3. Mary, named after Kate's paternal great aunt, Mary Glassborow, Valerie's twin sister. Of course, Mary is common name in William's ancestry as well.
4. Olive, named after Kate's paternal great-grandmother, Olive Middleton
5. Dorothy, named after Kate's maternal grandmother, Dorothy Harrison, Carole's mother
6. Harriet, named after Kate's paternal great great-grandmother, Harriet Davis
7. Margaret, named after Margaret Middleton, Kate's grandfather Peter's sister. It was also the name of Queen Elizabeth II's late sister, Princess Margaret
8. Constance, named after Constance Robison, Kate's paternal great-grandmother and Valerie's mother
Potential boys' names:
1. Michael, named after Kate's father. Michael Middleton
2. Peter, named after Peter Francis Middleton. He was Kate's paternal grandfather and Michael's father
3. Noel, named after Kate's paternal great-grandfather, Noel Middleton, Peter's father
4. John - there are a lot of Johns in Kate's family: There was Kate's paternal great-great grandfather, John William Middleton, Noel's father, her maternal great great-father John Harrison, Dorothy's father, who was named after his own dad, plus John Goldsmith, Kate's maternal great great-grandfather, Charlie's father, who shared the same name with both his father and grandfather
5. William - there would be some double-dipping in the family traditions here, obviously. Kate also had a paternal great great great-grandfather, William Middleton, John's father
6. Francis - named after Francis Martineau Lupton, Kate's paternal great great-grandfather, Olive's father and Harriet's husband
7. Fredrick, named after Frederick Glassborow, Kate's other paternal great-grandfather, Valerie's father and Constance's husband. Frederick shares the same name with his father, Kate's other paternal great great-grandfather.
8. Edward, named after Kate's paternal great great-grandfather Edward Glassborow, Frederick's father. Also, the queen's other son, William's uncle, is Prince Edward. In addition, Kate's dad is a descendant of Edward III, who served as the King of England in the 14th century
9. Thomas, named after Kate's paternal great great great-grandfather, Thomas Glassborow, Edward's father and / or her maternal great-grandfather, Dorothy's father. In addition, Kate and William are distant blood relatives via their common ancestor Sir Thomas Leighton, an Elizabethan diplomat
10. Ronald, named after Kate's maternal grandfather, Ronald Goldsmith, Carole's father
11. Charles, a known royal name (William's father is Prince Charles) and the name of Kate's maternal great-grandfather, Ronald's father and Francis' brother, Charles Lupton
12. James, another known royal name and the name of Kate's maternal great great great great-grandfather, James Harrison, father...John. The duchess' brother is also named James, as is Prince Edward's son.
13. Gavin, named after Gavin Fullarton Robison, Kate's paternal great-great grandfather, Constance's father
(Sources: BBC News, The Telegraph newspaper, Kent Online and The Yorkshire Evening Post.)
—Additional reporting by Baker Machado
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