What Does Louis Mean? - Kate Middleton and Prince William Royal Baby Name Meaning

Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced the name of the royal baby: Louis Arthur Charles.

The royal couple threw a curveball at fans betting on options like Alexander or Albert, but they did end up using one favorite, Arthur, as the child's middle name. The newborn's full title sounds regal already, but what does it mean, exactly? Here, we break down the significance behind little Prince Louis' name.

Louis

Meaning: famous in battle, famous warrior

Origin: German, French

Although Louis is a common royal moniker in French history, the name was recently used by some of the new prince's recent relatives. Big brother Prince George's full name is George Alexander Louis and father Prince William's full name is William Arthur Philip Louis. The Duke of Cambridge's uncle Prince Edward's full name is Edward Antony Richard Louis. His youngest child is Lady Louise Windsor, a close match to her nephew Prince Louis.

There's also Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India and uncle to the baby's great-grandfather, Prince Philip, BBC points out. His father was Prince Louis of Battenberg (Prince Philip's grandfather and the baby's great-great-great-grandfather).

Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip’s uncle

Arthur

Meaning: bear, according to Nameberry and Baby Center; noble, courageous, according to Babble

Origin: Celtic, English

In addition to the mythical, medieval king of Camelot, other royals have been named Arthur, but in more subtle ways. It appears in Prince William’s full name (William Arthur Philip Louis), and grandfather Prince Charles’ full name (Charles Philip Arthur George), according to Royal Central. Lady Sarah Chatto, daughter of Princess Margaret (the Queen’s sister) and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, named also her son Arthur.

Arthur Chatto in 2013

Charles

Meaning: strong, manly, free man

Origin: German, French

This one's a no-brainer tribute to the baby's grandfather, the Prince of Wales. But it's also a slight nod to his uncle, Prince Harry, whose full name is Henry Charles Albert David. The infant also shares a name with his 17th century royal ancestor, King Charles I (the second son of King James I), who ruled over England, Ireland, and Scotland. The monarch was born in 1600 and died in 1649, after his constant conflicts with Parliament, which resulted in civil war, led to his execution.

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Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now. 

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