Royal Baby Arthur is favourite for Kate Middleton's baby name

Royal Baby Arthur is favourite for Kate Middleton's baby name

Albert or Philip? Thomas or Henry? - the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are likely to seek regal inspiration for their new arrival.

Royal Punters are already quids-in after correctly predicting the third royal baby would be a little Prince.

After opting for the traditional names George and Charlotte for their first two children, William and Kate are expected to keep it classic once again for baby number three. 

One female customer asked to put some £5,000 on Arthur - currently leading as the favourite name - at a bookmakers in Cheltenham.

Others are hedging their bets on Albert, Frederick, James and Philip.

So what will the new prince be called? Here are some of the contenders:

Arthur

One of Charles's middle names, Arthur is also one of William's middle names and was a middle name of the Queen's father, George VI.

The legendary King Arthur was the mythical leader of the knights of the Round Table, who supposedly lived in the 5th or 6th century.

Once popular, the name fell out of fashion but has had a revival in recent years. Former prime minister David Cameron has a son called Arthur.

Albert

Queen Victoria used to insist that the name Albert was used as a middle name by her descendants, if not a first, in honour of her much-loved consort Prince Albert.

By choosing Albert or Bertie for a boy, William and Kate would be honouring Queen Elizabeth II's father, George VI, who was actually Albert Frederick Arthur George but always known to his family as Bertie.

Shy, stammering Bertie was forced to become king when his brother Edward VIII abdicated, but won the nation's affection by standing firm in London during the Second World War.

Philip

A lasting tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh might see a Prince of Cambridge called Philip.

Both Charles and William have Philip as a middle name.

The Duke - known for his dedication to duty and his acerbic wit - has been married to the Queen for more than 70 years and is the nation's longest serving consort.

Frederick

A Prince Freddie of Cambridge would have a historical link to the 1st Duke of Cambridge.

Prince Adolphus Frederick lived from 1774 to 1850 and was a son of George III.

He was apparently very fond of interrupting church services by bellowing out 'By all means' if the priest said 'Let us pray'.

Charles

William may want to pay tribute to his father - but perhaps as a middle name as it may be considered to similar to Charlotte.

James

James could be chosen to signify Kate's affection for her brother, the baby's uncle, James Middleton.

William already has a cousin James, the Earl and Countess of Wessex's son, Viscount Severn.

James is a Stuart name. James I, son of Mary, Queen of Scots, had been king of Scotland for 36 years as James VI when he became king of England in 1603.

Other names

They could choose William as a middle name, but also perhaps Michael as a middle name out of respect for Kate's father.

Kate's grandfather on her paternal side was called Peter, while on her maternal side, her grandfather was Ronald.

Thomas also appears several times in Kate's family tree as does Francis.