Royal baby name: Bookies announce new favourite for Prince William and Kate's third child

Frontrunner Mary has been overtaken by a different moniker

Bookies have revealed that a new name has overtaken Mary as the favourite for the newest royal baby.

With media barriers installed outside St Mary’s Hospital in London, the Duchess of Cambridge is preparing to give birth to her third child at the private Lindo Wing in the coming weeks.

And, while speculation as to what the young prince or princess will be called have remained rife ever since the pregnancy announcement, bets on names have surged in the last few days.

According to recent bets, Mary has been dubbed the favourite with 3-1 odds but now bookies have announced a new name as the frontrunner.

Instead, Alice has been tipped as the most likely moniker with odds now at 4-1 from 5-1, while Mary slips to 9-2.

“With the barriers now up at St Mary’s Hospital and the birth of the royal baby imminent, the name game is heating up for punters and it’s the name Alice which we’re seeing all the money for this week,” Katie Baylis, Paddy Power Betfair spokesperson said in a statement.

“For the first time Alice has become favourite at 4-1 from 5-1 yesterday, after a flurry of bets, while long-time favourite Mary is now out to 9-2, with bets on the name drying up this week.

Baylis also revealed that there has been a lot of backing for the name Victoria which is now at 13-2 from 10-1, while Philip has also been popular and is now at 8-1 from 16-1.

Other names featured in Paddy Power Betfair’s most popular names include Elizabeth, Grace, Isabella, Sophie, Alexandrina and Henrietta.

If the baby is a boy bets are also being placed on Arthur, Edward, Albert, Frederick, Louis, James, Charles and Richard.