These Are The Names Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Might Be Considering For Their Baby
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a new arrival - and a big decision - coming up. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their first child due in April, and the new parents will have to pick one, two, three, or even four names for the littlest royal.
The British royal family traditionally picks family names passed down from previous generations and loads up on the middle names (Prince Charles was born Charles Philip Arthur George!), but a few exceptions have popped up.
Not a single bettor predicted Princess Eugenie's name before her birth in 1990, the Los Angeles Times reported. Prince Charles also apparently suggested Zara Tindall's unusual name, so Meghan and Harry could still surprise everyone with a completely unanticipated pick - including something unabashedly American in honor of Mom.
That said, it's those family names that have risen to the top of the betting charts. Here are the most buzzed about options for both a girl and a boy since the happy couple agreed to keep the gender a secret even from themselves.
Royal Girl Names
For a little context, Meghan Markle's full given name is Rachel Meghan Markle. Her mom's name is Doria Loyce Ragland, and her maternal grandmother's name is Jeanette Forshey, according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society. However, most of the current odds-on favorites come from the paternal side of the family:
Diana
The tribute here is obvious. Prince Harry's mother Diana, Princess of Wales passed away in 1997, and the couple has previously spoken about ways to include her in their journey together. However, Prince William and Kate Middleton recently used Diana as one of Princess Charlotte's middle names, so they might want to avoid a repeat.
Victoria
It's an homage to the beloved Queen Victoria, who ruled from 1837 until 1876. Proud feminist Meghan may like this tribute to an iconic woman, and second cousin Princess Eugenie also counts it as one of her middle names. Potential nicknames include Vicky and Tory.
Alice
This pick would honor great-grandfather Prince Philip. His mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, was also Queen Victoria's great-granddaughter.
Alexandra
It's one of the Queen's middle names and the possible nicknames are endless: Alex, Allie, Alexa, Lexie ... It means "helper of mankind" - perfect for the two philanthropically minded parents, no?
While these three picks have much longer odds, we wouldn't be too surprised if Meghan and Harry went with a meaningful yet surprising option like one of these:
Mary
Mary is the Queen's other middle name. Second cousins Princess Beatrice and Lady Louise also have it as a middle name, not to mention it's a combination of Meghan and Harry.
Margaret
Great-great aunt Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister, passed away in 2002 so this would pay fitting tribute.
Lily
Family genealogy site Ancestry likes this pick as a way to honor the Queen, who goes by the nickname Lilibet amongst family. Cute!
Royal Boy Names
Prince Harry's full name is Henry Charles Albert David and Prince Charles's full name is Charles Philip Arthur George. Meanwhile, great-grandfather Prince Philip was just born Philip - short and sweet! Some of those options appear as betting favorites, too:
Arthur
It's one of grandpa's names and it's reminiscent of the legendary King Arthur of Camelot - you know, the Knights of the Round Table and all of that. Prince William has it on his birth certificate too, but he used it as one of Prince Louis's middle names last spring so maybe it's too soon.
James
Many King Jameses have ruled throughout history, and we're not just talking about LeBron James. British and Scottish monarchs with the moniker reigned throughout much of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. The only James currently in the royal family is James, Viscount Severn, Prince Edward's son born in 2007.
Albert
Yes, it's one of Harry's names, but it's most commonly associated with Prince Albert, the beloved consort of Queen Victoria who supported important public causes like educational reform and the abolition of slavery. The Queen's father King George VI was also born Albert Frederick Arthur George and went by "Bertie" among close friends and family.
Spencer
This pick is a clear tribute to Princess Diana as it was her maiden name. The aristocratic Spencer family remains still close to the couple. Harry's maternal aunt Jane Fellowes (née Spencer) gave a reading at their wedding.
Henry
In honor of Dad, of course! He could go by Henry instead of Harry to distinguish between the two.
These picks aren't as popular among bettors, but we think they're still in the mix:
Philip
Prince Philip is the current patriarch of the family and he's close to Prince Harry, who's taken over many of his duties since Philip's official retirement. It's thought the Duke of Edinburgh had his hip surgery when he did so he could attend his great-grandson's wedding last year.
Charles
Naming your son after your dad is one of the sweetest things you can do, and Prince Harry has expressed his appreciation for how much his dad his influenced his life."[Our dad] was there for us - he was the one out of two left, and he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after," he said in the BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days.
Alexander
As the masculine version of Alexandra, this name would pay tribute to the Queen in a similar way.
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