The realm of royals and nobles is rich with traditions, conventions, rules and etiquette. One of the most famous traditions within royal circles is to name children after great regal ancestors – the majestic kings and legendary princes of old that have become an integral part of royal history.
This explains why there have been so many kings and princes throughout the ages that all share the same name. It also explains the convention of some monarchs having numbers after their names, i.e. to denote the order of reign and differentiate one king from another with the same name.
There have been royal kings and princes for many centuries and countless generations, and as such, some names have become notable for appearing multiple times throughout the pages of history. This longevity and heritage, along with the captivating stories of royal ancestors, has led to some names becoming established as strong, traditional names, suitable for royal offspring.
Here are some of the traditional royal prince names that have appeared often throughout the history books and remain popular in modern times, both in royal circles and for children from all walks of life.
• Louis
Throughout the royal history of Europe, Louis is renowned as the name of a vast range of legendary French Kings. Perhaps the most famous members of the list were Louis XIV, known as the Sun King and the visionary behind the mesmerizing Palace of Versailles, and Louis XVI, the tragic sovereign who, along with his wife Queen Marie Antoinette, became one of the many royal victims of the French Revolution. The last official King Louis of France was Louis XIX, the nineteenth holder of the title, indicating the strong tradition of this name within the French monarchy.
Louis is still a popular choice for modern royals throughout Europe, with the most famous being the son of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, who chose the name for their youngest child in 2018. This choice was no doubt influenced by the rich historical relevance of the name, and it was also in honor of his grandfather, King Charles III, who has Louis as one of his middle names. As the young Prince Louis is an heir to the English throne, it’s likely that the popularity of this historic royal name is secure for many generations to come.
• Philip, Philippe
The name Philip, sometimes spelt Philipp or Philippe, has long been a popular name for royal princes. From Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans, the English prince descended from the great line of French kings, to the Belgian prince, Philippe, Count of Flanders, a member of the great royal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, this name has a rich history in the royal families of Europe throughout the last few centuries.
A more contemporary example of this traditional royal boy name was the Duke of Edinburgh, consort of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Philip was one of England’s most famous princes of recent history, becoming famed for his high-ranking position within one of the world’s most renowned royal families. Yet the man who would become famous as the Duke of Edinburgh was actually a royal prince before his marriage, being born the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark.
• Henry
Henry has been the name of kings and princes throughout the history of European royalty. From the earliest medieval monarchs and their sons, through to the modern era, Henry is regarded as one of the great royal names, and it claims a vast and noble heritage within some of the most powerful royal families of Europe.
There have been a great many kings named Henry, which is evidence of the popularity of this name for young princes – given that the line of succession did not always play out as expected. For example, the famous King Henry VIII was a second-born son, not expected to be king, and during his childhood he was known as Prince Henry. The fact that his father shared his name, King Henry VII, and they both came from a long line of English kings named Henry, is indicative of the strong heritage of this name within the English royal family.
It has also been a chosen name for princes throughout Europe, including regions and countries such as Castile, Portugal, France, Prussia, Luxembourg, the Kingdoms of Italy, Germany, Bavaria, and the Holy Roman Empire.
Henry is a royal boy name with a vast history that dates back many centuries, yet it appears to be as popular today as ever. Its popularity may have been boosted by the most famous contemporary bearer of this name, more commonly known as Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, son of England’s King Charles III, and fifth in line to the throne.
When Prince Harry was born in 1984, his parents, the then Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, formally christened their son Henry Charles Albert David, honoring the rich tradition of royal prince names, yet it was announced that he would be known more informally as the popular nickname for Henry, which is Harry.
Despite inheriting a traditional royal prince name with a great history spanning generations of kings, Prince Harry has gone on to break away from many conventional royal practices. His decision to give his own son a name not traditionally associated with the canon of royal prince names was one such break from the royal norm. Prince Harry’s son was christened Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, a controversial decision that was indicative of the modern royal couple’s desire to do things differently.
Many of the traditional royal prince names of the ages have endured to modern times and they represent a fascinating line of kings and princes, royals and nobles. The royal tradition of choosing historic names for new offspring has ensured the longevity of some of the most popular names of the ages. And the celebrity of modern royals looks set to secure the popularity of these royal prince names for many years to come.