The Princess of Wales, who celebrates her 44th birthday on January 9, welcomed Prince George in July 2013. Now nearly 13, the young royal is second in line to the throne and slowly stepping into his teenage years. But long before the world came to know him as Prince George, Kate reportedly had another name firmly in mind.
The name Kate reportedly loved most
When Kate and Prince William were expecting their first child, there was widespread speculation about whether they knew the baby’s gender in advance. According to royal author and commentator Katie Nicholl, the couple publicly maintained that they wanted to be surprised.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nicholl claimed that while William preferred not to know the sex of the baby, Kate had a strong instinct that she was carrying a boy. Along with that instinct came a clear favourite when it came to names. Alexander was reportedly the one she felt most drawn to.
Despite this, the couple had not settled on a final choice before the birth. Friends close to them suggested that they were keeping their options open, even though Kate privately referred to her unborn son using a sweet nickname. While pregnant, she allegedly called him her “little grape,” a detail that has since delighted royal fans.
Why George became the final choice
Once Prince George was born, the name announced to the world carried deep royal meaning. George was a tribute to Prince William’s great grandfather, King George VI, who reigned from 1936 to 1952 and was the father of Queen Elizabeth II.
If Prince George chooses to reign under the same name one day, he would become King George VII. The previous King George, Queen Elizabeth’s father, was born Albert but chose George as his regnal name to honour his own father, George V, and to bring stability to the monarchy after the turbulent abdication of his brother, Edward VIII.
Kate’s preference was not entirely set aside. Alexander was included as one of George’s middle names, giving her the chance to use the name she had once hoped would be his first.
The family nickname and royal naming tradition
While the public knows him simply as Prince George, members of the royal family reportedly use a more playful nickname behind closed doors. He is said to be affectionately called Tips, a name that originated from the popular British tea brand PG Tips. The nickname began as a reference to his initials, Prince George, before eventually being shortened to just Tips.
Prince George is not the only Wales child whose name carries personal and historical meaning. Princess Charlotte, born in 2015, was given the full name Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, honouring both her late great grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and her late grandmother Princess Diana. Prince Louis, born in 2018, was named Louis Arthur Charles, with Charles serving as a clear tribute to his grandfather, King Charles III.
Together, the names of the Wales children reflect a balance between tradition, family legacy and personal sentiment, much like the near miss that could have seen Prince George known by a very different name today.
