Louis was the first name of the Prince of Wales’ beloved great-uncle Earl Mountbatten of Burma.
Charles will be touched that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge decided to pay tribute to Lord Mountbatten, who was murdered by the IRA in 1979, by naming their son Prince Louis.
The name, also one of Prince George’s middle names, is French and German in origin and means “renowned warrior”.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son Louis Arthur Charles.
The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge. pic.twitter.com/4DUwsLv5JQ
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 27, 2018
Louis was the 71st most popular name in England and Wales, according to the latest available figures from the Office for National Statistics.
In 2016, just 911 boys were given the name Louis in England and Wales.
It was more popular in the early 2000s when it ranked around 39th, but was not popular throughout the 20th century.
Louis has been the name of many rulers across the world, including 18 kings of France.
Famous people named Louis include pop star Louis Tomlinson from One Direction and jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong.
He was very close to Charles but Uncle Dickie, as he was known in the family, was assassinated by the IRA in August 1979.
His boat was blown up on a fishing trip off the coast of County Sligo in the Republic of Ireland.
Louis is pronounced Lou-ee, rather than Lew-is
Arthur, Prince Louis’s second name, evokes the legend of King Arthur, the mythical leader of the knights of the Round Table.
Arthur has been a popular middle name for royal born sons during the Windsor era – but not a common first name.
One of Charles’ middle names, it is also one of William’s and was a middle name of the Queen’s father, George VI.
The Prince of Wales has released a statement following the birth of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child.HRH said: “We are both so pleased at the news. It is a great joy to have another grandchild, the only trouble is I don’t know how I am going to keep up with them.” pic.twitter.com/fZmsd72yeX
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) April 24, 2018
The baby’s third name Charles, of course, pays tribute to William’s father and the baby’s grandfather the Prince of Wales.
Its meaning is “man” and it is derived from the German name Karl.
It is considered an unlucky royal name for a king as Charles I was executed and Charles II’s reign featured the plague and the Great Fire of London.
