Several famous Georges have already expressed their enthusiastic support for Kate and William’s chosen name, including one of Newstalk’s own:
First time I've bought a tabloid in a good while! Almost as good as 'Freddie Ate My Hamster! pic.twitter.com/NhkYrBFYRv
— boygeorge (@BoyGeorge) July 25, 2013
I'm thrilled about the royal baby being called 'George' !! I am going to send a telegraph tomorrow morning
— George Hook (@ghook) July 24, 2013
His name is George. #OhMyyy
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) July 24, 2013
The name George is derived from the Greek γεωργÏŒς (geÅrgos) which means “earth-worker” or “farmer” - although for some reason we consider it unlikely the newborn prince George Alexander Louis will be spending much time earth working.
There have been six British King Georges to date (second place to the eight King Edwards, although all but two of those are English kings from before the foundation of the UK in 1707). The last male monarch was a George - Queen Elizabeth II’s father, who died in 1952, passing the throne to his daughter.
However, the UK has nothing on Georgia’s fondness for the name, with their dozen King Georges. King George XII was the last royal ruler of the country before the abolishment of the monarchy in the country back in 1800.
Fun fact: in Mexico, “vamos a ponerle Jorge al niño” (roughly translated as "[if we have a baby], we’ll call him George”) is considered a particularly crude chat-up line.
