Punters playing the names game

With the Beckhams’ announcement today that they are expecting their second child in September, bookies have already begun taking bets on the new addition’s name.

When David and Victoria decided to call their first child Brooklyn, after the tough New York City borough, it raised more than one or two eyebrows.

They explained that they had chosen the name because Victoria was in New York on a Spice Girls tour when she discovered she was pregnant.

The new baby Beckham will have been conceived around December, which had its ups and downs for the couple.

Bookies were today examining the pair’s movements in December to see if it would bear any relevance to the infant’s name.

In early December, David learned that England would be playing Argentina in this summer’s World Cup, as the draw for the finals were made.

The last clash with the South American giants had produced David’s lowest professional moment, when he was sent off at World Cup 98 for kicking out at Argentinian star Diego Simeone.

But on hearing the news that the two teams would be meeting again this summer in Japan and South Korea, David said he was relishing the prospect and was looking forward to ‘‘laying the ghost of 1998’’ to rest.

December also saw David dropped for several games at Manchester United.

However he still attended matches at Middlesbrough and Everton as well as several home fixtures.

The star’s future with Manchester United was also still uncertain as talks about his new contract continued.

December did bring celebrations for the Beckhams however when David was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year for his contribution to England’s world cup qualification and his form for Manchester United.

He was also named the UK’s best dressed man by readers of Heat magazine.

Tonight bookmakers William Hill was offering odds of 50/1 that the child would be named Trafford, after the home of Manchester United.

The name Homer was second favourite at 66/1, Wembley was being offered at 100/1 and Anfield at 500/1.