The offspring of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry is reportedly due any day now, which means that people around the world are incredibly thirsty to know as many details about the forthcoming infant as possible. Since the press-averse couple is working hard to keep leaks to a minimum, spectators have been forced to engage in an activity that’s as weird as it is traditional: betting on what the baby (whose sex is still unknown) will ultimately be named.
This week, Vanity Fair reported that the names Allegra and Grace have been skyrocketing in odds as Meghan’s delivery approaches, but that the female names highest on the list are Diana and Elizabeth (because duh). Every time a royal baby’s big debut approaches, British bookmakers do a roaring trade as citizens place financial stakes on certain names.
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Harry naming his first child after his mother or grandmother makes sense, thus the higher odds on those bets. But Allegra and Grace are less expected (and in the case of the first one, quite risky—imagine the playground taunts!). According to The Sun, Allegra is the name Princess Diana favored if she ever had a girl, but the only reason Grace seems to be in the running is because it’s inspired by Grace of Monaco, a.k.a. Grace Kelly (R.I.P.)
All right, so the numbers may be there, but we’re not buying these options. While it may have been easier to predict what Kate Middleton and Prince William would name their children, we have a sneaking suspicion that Meghan and Harry will choose a moniker that no one, not even the royal-crazy hive mind, will be able figure out. That’s because Meghan and Harry are so thoroughly determined to shake up what it means to be royal.
For what feels like centuries, the British Royal Family has been incredibly good at living their lives semi-publicly while telling the actual public almost nothing at all. In some ways, Meghan reflects this; she is reportedly planning to give birth at conveniently located Frimley Park Hospital rather than participate in the routine Lindo Wing photo op that admirers of the royals have come to expect. Kate Middleton gave birth to all three of her kids (Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis) at the famous division of St. Mary’s hospital and posed for beaming pictures afterwards, but that’s just not Meghan’s vibe: She might even give birth to her first child at home.
Furthermore, the Duchess of Sussex is an American by birth and a former Tignanello-drinking lifestyle blogger; she has Hillary Clinton’s former campaign advisor on her payroll; and she could be described offhandedly as “a California girl” (she was born in Los Angeles and loves avocados). Like all accomplished influencers, she and her husband have a joint Instagram account (which, of course, is massively popular). After their child is born, the pair are even reportedly considering a six-month sojourn to Africa. All of which is to say that The Duchess Formerly Known as Meghan isn’t going to do what you expect her to do. And her flouting of conventions should be celebrated and admired!
But since the game is nevertheless fun to participate in, we’ll go ahead and make some baby-name guesses: Doria, Jeanette, Marianne, Isabella, Henry, Owen, Alexander, Thomas. Also, Meghan’s first child is most likely going to be a Taurus, so this kid is pretty much guaranteed to save the world.
