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.”