How The Youngest Royal Family Members Got Their Names

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What's in a name? Well, as any expectant parent will tell you, quite a lot. A 2024 survey published by BabyCenter found that 1 in 10 parents regret their choice of baby name, explaining why so many parents struggle or take their time to pick a name for their little one. With that in mind, imagine how tricky it must be to name a child when you are part of the British monarchy, one of the most famous families in the world.

Perhaps that's why so many royal children share similar names, with many great-granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth II having names inspired by Her Majesty (more on that to come!). That's not to say the late monarch didn't have a sweet connection to her great-grandsons, though. Queen Elizabeth's relationship with Prince Archie spanned the Atlantic Ocean, with the pair forming a close bond over video calls, for example.

Beyond the many monikers honoring the late queen, how were all of the other young royal family members named? From the children of William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, to Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips' offspring, here's the truth about how Queen Elizabeth's great-grandchildren got their names.

Prince George Alexander Louis is the firstborn of Prince William and Princess Catherine, making him second in line to the British throne under the Royal Family's line of succession. As a result, his arrival was met with anticipation by royal fans across the globe, and bookmakers in the U.K. even placed wagers on what the future monarch would be called. At the time, the name George was the frontrunner, and those predictions proved correct.

In a statement released on The Royal Family the day after his birth, the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were said to be "delighted to announce that they have named their son George Alexander Louis." The statement also confirmed that the newborn would be known as His Royal Highness. So, what's behind the name — or, more specifically, names — of the future king?

George is primarily named after Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI. Meanwhile, his second name, Alexander, comes from the late queen's middle name, which was Alexandra. As for his third name, it was passed down from William, who also shares Louis as his fourth name, after Lord Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle. Interestingly, George's parents reportedly deliberated extensively when picking his name, with his mom's frontrunner being Alexander, according to royal biographer Russell Myers in "William and Catherine, The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story."

Like her older brother, Prince George, Princess Charlotte's name — Charlotte Elizabeth Diana — is inspired by her royal relatives. Just one day after her birth, her name was announced via a statement shared on The Royal Family, which also confirmed she'd use Her Royal Highness styling.

While British bookmakers hit the mark in predicting George's name, they didn't do the same with Charlotte. The name Alice was considered the favorite for Prince William and Princess Catherine's second child, so how did Charlotte come to be? Well, Charlotte is the female version of Charles, which is the name of her paternal grandfather. It is also the middle name of her maternal aunt, Philippa Charlotte Middleton.

Continuing the theme of honoring her royal relatives, Charlotte has two middle names. One is obviously a nod to her paternal great-grandmother, and that should come as no surprise, given that royal experts say Charlotte was Queen Elizabeth's favorite great-grandchild. The other is a sweet gesture to Princess Diana, her paternal grandmother, who sadly never met the young royal. The late Princess of Wales passed away in a tragic car accident in 1997, almost two decades before Charlotte was born.

On April 23, 2018, the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their third child, adding to the number of Queen Elizabeth's great-grandchildren. Taking to Instagram, the third-time parents shared a photo of their newborn captured on the steps of the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London, as is royal tradition. In the caption, Prince William and Princess Catherine announced their son's name as Louis Arthur Charles.

Like his older siblings, Prince Louis' three monikers have been passed through the family. His father's full name is William Arthur Philip Louis, and Louis shares two of these names. The lineage doesn't stop there, however. Both Arthur and Charles come from his paternal grandfather, King Charles III, whose full name is Charles Philip Arthur George. There's another symbolic meaning to Louis' name, and it's the same reason Prince George has it. Louis' first name pays tribute to the late Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was murdered in an IRA bombing in 1979.

In contrast to Prince William and Princess Catherine, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle broke tradition with the name of their firstborn son, which in hindsight is no surprise. In 2020, just one year after Prince Archie Harrison was born, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from life as senior working royals. They moved from the U.K. to California, U.S., to start a new life while working to become financially independent from the Royal Family.

Once the couple's American life got underway, they launched their Archewell Foundation, offering insight into Archie's name. "Before SussexRoyal came the idea of 'arche' — the Greek word meaning 'source of action,'" the couple said (referencing their former royal branding) in a statement shared with People. "We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son's name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters."

In addition, Archie is a shorter version of the name Archibald, which has some relation to the Royal Family. Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, was an ancestor of Princess Diana, Harry's late mother. As for Archie's middle name? Harrison originates from the Middle Ages and means "son of Harry," which is pretty fitting for the son of Prince Harry (via Ancestry).

In keeping with their tradition of being unconventional, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle named their daughter Princess Lilibet Diana. "It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world," an official statement from the couple read at the time of her birth.

The Sussexes' message went on to explain the familial ties of the name Lilibet. "Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet." Despite the sweet gesture, there was dissension among the Royal Family when Lilibet's name was announced. A palace source told the BBC that the couple did not ask for the Queen's approval to use it, while their representative insisted they would not have used the name had Her Majesty not been on board.

Royal disagreements aside, Lilibet's middle name relates to the late Princess Diana, like that of her cousin, Princess Charlotte. As for whether Lilibet's name has any relation to her maternal side of the family? It does! Meghan's 2018 bridal bouquet featured lily of the valley, which was handpicked by Harry — so romantic! On top of that, the Duchess also revealed on her now-defunct blog, The Tig (via People), that her mom, Doria Ragland, gave her the childhood nickname "Flower."

In February 2021, Princess Eugenie gave birth to her and husband Jack Brooksbank's first child, a son named August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. Much like her cousins, Prince William and Prince Harry, Eugenie gave her son two names connected to his royal heritage. Taking to Instagram to introduce the new arrival and reveal his name, the princess said: "Our hearts are full of love for this little human, words can't express."

So, how do the young royal's names relate to his ancestry? Well, his first name is the same as Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert. His Christian name was Augustus. Meanwhile, August's middle name, Philip, honors his late great-grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh. Elaborating on exactly that, Eugenie shared an Instagram Story (via Cosmopolitan U.K.) in which she penned: "He is named after his great grandfather [Philip] and both of his great x5 grandfathers."

August's second middle name, Hawke, has ties to his paternal side of the family. Reverend Edward Hawke Brooksbank (born in 1789) was August's great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. Yep, that's a heck of a lot of greats!

When Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank welcomed their second son — Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank — they confirmed that his names had significant meaning. "He is named after his great great great Grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald [sic]," Eugenie wrote on Instagram. For clarity, Ernest's first and middle names are a nod to his great-great-great-grandfather, King George V, who also had Ernest as a middle name.

Ernest's other names also have a sweet meaning behind them. George is a tribute to Jack's father, who shared the same name but passed away in November 2021 at the age of 72. He had been suffering from ill health for some time after contracting COVID and sadly died just days before Ernest's older brother was due to be christened.

Going back to Ernest's royal side of the family, his other middle name, Ronnie, honors Eugenie's maternal grandfather. Major Ronald Ivor Ferguson was the father of Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York. Ronald passed away in 2003 when Eugenie was just 12 years old.

In August 2026, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank were blessed with yet another newborn, adding to the number of Queen Elizabeth's great-grandchildren. However, the late monarch sadly passed away several years prior. "We are so happy to share Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank," Eugenie announced on Instagram.

Elaborating on the meaning behind her first daughter's names, Eugenie said: "[She is] named after three people we love and admire past and present, including her Great-Grandmother [sic] who we hold close in our hearts." Beyond the nod to the late monarch, Adelaide's name could have been inspired by Queen Adelaide, who was the wife of King William IV. He reigned from 1830 to 1837.

British history wasn't the only influence on Beatrice when she chose her daughter's names, however. "Her name is part of English and Portuguese history, two places we love and call home," the princess added in her social media post. Elsewhere in her Instagram caption, Eugenie also revealed the adorable nicknames of her two sons. "Augie and Ernie are already the best big brothers," she wrote.

Princess Beatrice became a mother for the first time in September 2021, welcoming a daughter with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. "We are delighted to share that we have named our daughter Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi," Beatrice wrote on X alongside an adorable photo of the young royal's footprints.

Like her cousins, Beatrice honored her grandmother, the then-reigning monarch, by giving her daughter the middle name Elizabeth. Beyond that, however, Beatrice and her husband have not offered confirmation of the meaning behind Sienna. That said, a reported friend of the couple told Hello! that the moniker is a nod to Beatrice's mom, Sarah Ferguson. "They were looking for an Italian name which started with an S for Sarah," the source explained.

The insider went on to say that Beatrice and Edoardo also wanted a name that "reflected the golden rust colour" of their daughter's hair, which her maternal relatives share. Seemingly, that theory adds up. According to the baby naming site Nameberry, Sienna is of Italian origin, meaning "orange red." The Italian connection to the name further supports that statement, as Edoardo descends from Italian aristocracy.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's second daughter — Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi — is another royal whose name is a nod to the late Queen Elizabeth, with one of the young royal's middle names being Elizabeth. News of the little girl's arrival was shared on The Royal Family in January 2025, with the announcement revealing the entire royal family's joy.

Much like the secrecy they maintained around their firstborn, Beatrice and Edoardo have given no details about the inspiration behind the names Athena and Rose. Nonetheless, a little internet sleuthing offers insight into the potential meanings. Nameberry notes that Athena is of Greek origin and explains that in Greek mythology, "Athena is a daughter of Zeus and the goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts, mathematics, and courage."

Furthermore, the "A" in Athena could be a nod to both Beatrice and her husband's fathers. They both have names beginning with "A": Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi, respectively. That theory could be backed up by the insider comments given to Hello! regarding the "S" name (for Sarah Ferguson) that Beatrice and Edoardo chose for their first daughter.

Savannah Anne Phillips is the firstborn of Peter Phillips and his ex-wife, Autumn Phillips. She was born in December 2010, making her the eldest of the late monarch's great-grandchildren. After Savannah's birth, her name was not officially announced as quickly as other royal baby names have been. Instead, it was first revealed publicly during a church service in Sandringham.

Unlike his cousins, Peter chose not to give his daughter a name honoring the queen; instead, he honored his mom. Savannah's middle name pays tribute to her grandmother, Princess Anne, who is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. While Savannah's middle name has a familial connection, her first name is unlike other royal names, which have been inspired by relatives. According to parenting site The Bump, Savannah is of British and Native American origin and means "grassy plain."

Two years after the birth of their first daughter, Peter Phillips and Autumn Phillips welcomed their second. Isla Elizabeth Phillips was born in March 2012 and, echoing similar announcements, an official statement (via Town & Country) noted that the Royal Family was "delighted" by her arrival. Speaking of the Royal Family, it's pretty obvious which member Isla's middle name honors: Elizabeth. To that end, the tally of Queen Elizabeth's great-grandchildren who are named after her is getting pretty big!

Like her sister, Savannah Anne Phillips, Isla's first name was not borrowed or inspired by a member of the Royal Family; however, there could still be a familial connection. Per parenting site The Bump, Isla is of Scottish heritage. Scotland, as royal fans will know, held a special place in the hearts of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who spent most of their summers in Balmoral. After their passing, their son, King Charles, has continued this tradition.

Moving on to another one of Princess Anne's grandchildren, Mia Grace Tindall is the firstborn of Zara Tindall and her husband, Mike Tindall. Unlike her relatives, Mia's name has no royal connection, which is fitting, given that her mother, Zara, is known for her "civilian" lifestyle — she does not have a title and married a rugby player with no noble ancestry.

As for what the name Mia means? "The name Mia originated from Maria, which is derived from the Hebrew name Miryam," explains lifestyle journalist Christine Coppa on Parents. "Mia's meaning stems from the ancient Egyptian word mery or myr, which translates to 'beloved'." How sweet? Mia's middle name — Grace — also has an adorable meaning behind it, albeit not a royal one. Per The Bump, it is of Latin origin and means kindness and elegance. It is also consistently ranked as one of the most popular names in both the U.S. and U.K., according to the outlet.

Four years after the birth of Mia Grace Tindall, Zara Tindall and her husband welcomed another daughter. This time, the couple offered a nod to their royal heritage with her middle name — which, unsurprisingly, honors Queen Elizabeth. "Zara and Mike Tindall have named their baby daughter Lena Elizabeth," a spokeswoman for Zara and Mike said (via a royal reporter on X) in June 2018.

While Lena's middle name is clearly an ode to the late monarch (who was actually still on the throne at the time of her birth), her first name is understood to be loosely inspired by a much more distant relative. Zara and Mike could have been influenced by Princess Helena, who was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's fifth child. On Zara's maternal side of the family (read: the royal side), Queen Victoria was her great-great-great-grandmother. Beyond that, Lena is of Greek origin (per The Bump): "When it comes to definitions, Lena means 'torch,' 'bright,' or 'ray of light' in Greek."

Rounding off the list of Queen Elizabeth's great-grandchildren (for now, at least) is Lucas Philip Tindall. Lucas is the third child of Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall and was born in March 2021. Similarly to his older sister, Lena Elizabeth Tindall, Lucas' first name means "bringer of light" in Greek, per The Bump. However, it does not have a royal connection.

Conversely, Lucas' middle name — Philip — is a nod to his great-grandfather, the late Prince Philip, with whom Zara was very close. In a BBC documentary released after his passing, Zara shared a sweet comment about Philip. "You never really prepare yourself for losing him because he was always there," she said. In addition to honoring Zara's grandfather, the name Philip is a nod to Mike's father, too. His first name is also Philip — It's even spelled with one 'l' as well!