When Prince William and Princess Kate welcomed their first child on July 22, 2013, royal fans eagerly awaited the official announcement of the baby’s name.

Just two days later, the world learned he would be known as Prince George Alexander Louis. Today, it’s hard to picture him with any other name — but as it turns out, Kate originally had a different favorite.

Kate’s Favorite Name Revealed

Royal expert Katie Nicholl shared that Kate was especially fond of the name Alexander and had strongly considered it for her son’s first name. In the end, Alexander was used as George’s first middle name, while George — chosen in honor of royal tradition — became his given name. The name pays tribute to King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II’s father and Prince George’s great-great-grandfather.

Nicholl explained: “Courtiers insisted the pair had not found out the sex of their unborn baby, and friends close to the couple claim William wanted a surprise. Although Kate apparently suspected it was a boy and had set her heart on the name Alexander, they had not yet decided what to call their firstborn.”

Lupo the Dog May Have Helped Pick the Name

Interestingly, there’s a story that the couple’s beloved dog, Lupo, played a part in choosing George’s name. According to The Times, William and Kate reportedly wrote all their name options on scraps of paper and laid them on the floor of their home. Then, they let Lupo into the room to see which one he would walk toward — and it’s said he picked “George.”

Lupo sadly passed away in November 2020. The couple shared the heartbreaking news in a post on Instagram: “Very sadly last weekend our dear dog, Lupo, passed away. He has been at the heart of our family for the past nine years and we will miss him so much. – W & C”

Aside from his full royal name, Prince George is also known by a more playful nickname. Schoolmates were the first to shorten his name to “PG,” which eventually led to “PG Tips,” inspired by the famous tea brand. William and Kate are said to have picked up on the nickname and started using “Tips” themselves.

Celebrating His 12th Birthday

Prince George is turning 12 this week, with his birthday falling on Tuesday. As the oldest child of Prince William and Princess Kate, he’s expected to celebrate with close family while enjoying his summer break from school.

George was christened on October 23, 2013, at The Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. Now, as he steps into another year of life, it’s clear that Prince George remains a cherished member of the royal family — with a name that almost took a very different path.