Unique royal baby names

Ancestral inspiration for Kate & Wills

Kate and Wills' baby news is less than a month old and already speculation is rife on a name for the future royal infant. While the odds are on for traditional favourites such as Alice, Elizabeth, George and Edward, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge may be tempted to break with convention and choose something more unusual. If so, they only need look to William's family tree for ideas.

The royal family has a rich history of distinct baby names, from Antigone Plantagenet, the granddaughter of Henry IV, to Prince Augustus, the sixth son of "Mad King" George III. Here are just a few royal baby names through history that may inspire Wills and Kate to step out of their comfort zone...

If it's a girl...

ABOVE: Queen Elizabeth with baby Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II) in 1926

Adela

Adela could be a sage name choice for the royal couple - especially as it means "of the nobility/ noble". It has its royal origins in Adela of Normandy, the daughter of the first Norman King, William the Conqueror. Born around 1060, Adela was a high-spirited and educated woman - living up to the other meaning of her name, "good humour." Her own 11 children included the rather brilliantly named Theobald the Great.

Antigone

Antigone Plantagenet was an English noblewoman and the granddaughter of Henry IV. Her name has origins in ancient Greece and is linked to the intriguing word "unbending" (from the Greek word "anti" and "gon" meaning corner, or bend). Antigone is dependable and reliable; both important qualities for a future monarch.

Clementina

Clementina would be an offbeat choice for Wills and Kate, but its history is suitably majestic. Archduchess Clementina of Austria was born in 1798, as the daughter of the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II. She was also the sister-in-law of Napoleon (naturally). The name has Latin origins, meaning "mercy" or "merciful" - in Italian it translates to "compassionate".

Eugenie

Shame the Duke and Duchess of York got in there first, as Eugenie is an inspired name choice from the annuls of royal history. In the 1800s, Eugénie de Montijo reigned as the wife of Napoleon III and the last Empress consort of the French. Then there was Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (born 1887), the granddaughter of Queen Victoria - whom Princess Eugenie of York was named after. Aptly, the name means "well-born, noble".

Maud

Don't be deceived by the simplicity of this name. Maud derives from Matilda, meaning strength in battle or war. Mauds are competent, practical and obtain great power and wealth. Just ask Maud of Wales (born 1869), who was Queen of Norway and the youngest daughter of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark, as well as the younger sister of George V.

If it's a boy...

ABOVE: Queen Elizabeth II with her baby son Charles in 1948

Augustus

It's a radical option, but the name Augustus comes from impressive royal lineage. Augustus was the title given to Octavian, the first Roman emperor, and also Augustus II the Strong, King of Poland in the 1600s. Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, was also the sixth son of "Mad King" George III. It's derived from Latin, meaning "to increase," "great" or "venerable".

Ernest

If Wills and Kate decide their little boy is a shy, bookish type, they could go for Ernest - a Germanic name, literally meaning Earnest or serious. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was a Prussian general and participated in military actions against Napoleon. He was also the great-great-great-grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II and named one of his illegitimate children Ernst.

Humphrey

Humphrey is derived from German origins and means "peaceful warrior" - a person who brings warmth, charm and pleasure to others. Much more than just a cat name, then. Humphrey of Lancaster was born in 1390 as the 1st Duke of Gloucester and 1st Earl of Pembroke. He was the youngest son of Henry IV in House of Plantagenet dynasty.

Jasper

Jasper would be a very on-trend choice for the royal couple - it has seen a recent surge in popularity but its roots lie in ancient Persia, meaning "treasurer; spotted stone." Jasper Tudor, 1st Duke of Bedford, was the uncle of King Henry VII of England and the brains behind his successful conquest of England and Wales in 1485.

Leopold

Leopold is an old German name, meaning "brave people." Leopold I of Belgium himself was a courageous man - he was the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was also Queen Victoria’s uncle and a key influencer in the early days of her monarchy. He even helped to arrange her marriage to Prince Albert.