Gender, names, and godparent guessing for Harry and Meghan's first child

[Empress Merel]

Originally Posted by moby

I'm voting daughter, and I can definitely see Meghan naming a daughter after a known feminist or the most feminist ancestor of Harry's!

Emmeline Frances Elizabeth

Or an African-American feminist, like Rosa Parks.

[Abbigail]

For some reason, I can see them going with Alexandra or Alexander as a first name. Alex for short.

Alexandra Frances Loyce

Alexander Francis Charles

Other possibilities:

Victoria, Amelia, Olivia

Arthur, Dorian, Spencer (maybe more as a middle name)

[lilacmermaid]

Originally Posted by Empress Merel

Or an African-American feminist, like Rosa Parks.

Or Harriet (Tubman)? Harriet works well on so many levels, except that it's too close to Harry!

[Abbigail]

Maybe they wouldn't see that as a bad thing. I do like Harriet as well!

[An Ard Ri]

I voted for a girl and my top 3 names are

Margaret
Frances
Alice

[jacqui24]

Maybe Frances will be used as a first name to honor Diana either way.

[PetticoatLane]

Not while there's a pope called Francis.

I suspect they'll go for something a bit more 'hipster-ish', particularly if the child is not to be an HRH and Princes(s). If they are to be given that title by HMQ, then I'd expect a more traditional name.

Please just no Diana as a first name. If it's a girl, she's going to end up in Beatrice/Eugenie's position in due course and God knows it's been difficult enough for them without the millstone that is Diana as a first name.

[moby]

Originally Posted by Empress Merel

Or an African-American feminist, like Rosa Parks.

I can see that, it would be really meaningful!

[Chloep]

I was just perusing different forms of names that are important to them and I just came across 'Joanna' - a variation of Jeanette. Meghan's grandmother was extremely important to both her and her mother and she was a glue that connected all the branches of the Markle family. After her death in 2000 Doria lost touch with her extended family. I can definitely see them wanting to honour her, but I find direct name repetitions a bit too much for my taste. A bit too on the nose. I don't think it has much to do with being 'brave' enough - I think the connotations and pressure placed on someone right upon birth is just a lot - especially a child on public display.

I think 'Joanna' would be a gorgeous option, whether for first or middle names, I am not sure. But it's modern yet classic at the same time and projects a feminine, yet strong image. Plus, I could see them calling her Jo or Anna. Used to be quite popular here. It also has a similar ring to it as Diana without the direct connotation. Interestingly, we also have a 'Joanna' in the Mountbatten family.

For a boy I could perhaps see them using 'Dorian' - the masculine and principle form of Doria. Probably as a second name though.

In the same manner I could see them using 'Francis' - the masculine form of Frances as a middle name.

Phillip is also definitely going in there somewhere.

I feel strongly that the first name will be a 'clean slate' name either way, tough.

____________

I am now liking:

xxx Phillip Francis

xxx = Adrian, Eliott, Arthur, Alfred, Nicholas

&

Joanna Victoria/Cecilia Rose

[kathia_sophia]

I voted girl.

Girl's name first. I never got it right (can't remember what I said with George and Charlotte). So I got a bigger list of possible names.

Amelia
Anna
Alice
Andrea
Alexandra
Ariana
Angela
Brianna
Barbara
Caroline
Christina
Cecilia
Clara
Danielle
Deborah
Denise
Emilia
Emily
Emma
Ella
Elaine
Eliana
Isabella
Joanna
Jocelyn
Juliana
Karina
Kristen
Lily
Leah
Mary
Melissa
Margaret
Monica
Mara
Michaela
Natalie
Nicole
Natasha
Naomi
Nadia
Olivia
Penelope
Patricia
Rebecca
Rosemary
Samantha
Sophia
Susanne
Tatiana
Theresa
Vanessa
Victoria
Veronica
Vivian
Vera
Yasmin
Yara

[kathia_sophia]

Boy names:


Adam
Arthur
Alexander
Benjamin
Bentley
Christopher
Charlie
David
Daniel
Dorian
Eric
Emmanuel
Eduardo
Edmund
Frederik
Gabriel
Henry
Hamilton
Isaac
Joseph
Joshua
Jonathan
Jeremy
Luke
Lucas
Leo
Leonard
Nicholas
Oliver
Paul
Patrick
Philip
Robert
Richard
Ruben
Samuel
Sebastian
Simon
Thomas
Timothy
Tobias
Theo
Vincent
Zachary

[King of the Jungle]

Very exciting. I predict a red haired girl and a black haired boy. Curls galore!
Twins - boy/girl:

Born 9th and 14th March 2019 (a strange senario but very amazing)

Charles Henry William and Philippa Mary Frances
Henry Charles Richard Louis and Doria Diana Elizabeth
Philip Henry George Richard and Camilla Mary Doria Diana .. Philly and Milly
Mark Henry Charles William and Georgia Mary Doria Diana

Godparent ideas:
William or Catherine
Camilla's son, Tom or daughter, Laura
Lady Louise
Peter Phillips or Autumn
Mike Tindall
Beatrice
two of Meghan's friends
one of Meghan's nieces
two of harry's friends
I think that is a large pool. Realistically Harry could choose anyone of the World's spectacular workers for good to ask to be a godparent.

[WillVictoria]

Originally Posted by kathia_sophia

I voted girl.

Girl's name first. I never got it right (can't remember what I said with George and Charlotte). So I got a bigger list of possible names.

Amelia
Anna
Alice
Andrea
Alexandra
Ariana
Angela
Brianna
Barbara
Caroline
Christina
Cecilia
Clara
Danielle
Deborah
Denise
Emilia
Emily
Emma
Ella
Elaine
Eliana
Isabella
Joanna
Jocelyn
Juliana
Karina
Kristen
Lily
Leah
Mary
Melissa
Margaret
Monica
Mara
Michaela
Natalie
Nicole
Natasha
Naomi
Nadia
Olivia
Penelope
Patricia
Rebecca
Rosemary
Samantha
Sophia
Susanne
Tatiana
Theresa
Vanessa
Victoria
Veronica
Vivian
Vera
Yasmin
Yara

Some thoughts
1) Given a certain family member I think Samantha is a no
2) As an American a generation behind Meghan, I can say names like Barbara, Denise, and Deborah are seen as incredibly dated. Those would have been common names for her parents' generation and seen as unfashionable on a baby
3) Some of the names might be too similar to names in the royal family. Sophie is a nickname for Sophia, and some of the -ara names might be considered too close to Zara, although I may be wrong.
4) Names like Melissa, Nicole, Kristen, etc... would have been names popular with Meghan's generation (all in top 50 names for girls born in California in 1981) and are considered distinct to that era, compared to more classic names like Elizabeth or Sarah. Once again, a name like Kristen might sound like someone she'd see at her high school reunion rather than a baby.

Of course, people choose "dated" names or names similar to a family member's all the time, but just something to consider

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by Daenys

Oh, wait. Serena is Jehovah's Witness, what are Jehovah's Witnesses view on baptism?

AFAIK, full immersion as an adult.
I don't know how they feel about baptism in other religious denominations or how the Church of England would feel about a godparent who is a Jehovah's Witness.

[CyrilVladisla]

For a son: Edmund Philip Frederick
For a daughter: Helena Alice Doria

[soapstar]

A number of posts have been removed. This thread is not about how Meghan and Harry will be as parents, or about what titles their children will receive and whether Charles will slim down the monarchy. Let's stay on topic.

[cmsteepy]

My prediction for the baby name of the Duke & Duchess of Sussex (DDS), October, 2018.

The first thing to consider is whether the DDS will choose a traditional royal name or, because the little one won’t likely ever become the monarch, will they choose a more modern name. If they choose to go more modern, a prediction will be nearly impossible. However, if they choose to go traditional, there is a relatively short list to consider. For purposes of this discussion, we will assume that the DDS will go with a traditional royal name.

For a boy, I am going with:

Edward William Philip

Here is my logic:
Edward – A strong English name including eight British monarchs and many more royal men having this as their first or middle name.
William - Another strong English name including four monarchs and more importantly, Prince Harry’s admired older brother and future King. It would be a great honor to be named after a future King.
Philip – The younger Windors have a strong tradition of honoring Prince Philip or his Mountbatten ancestors. Since Alexander and Louis are already being used by William’s sons, Philip himself is my choice. Another possibility here would be Christian after King Christian IX of Denmark.

For a girl, I am going with:

Diana Victoria Alexandra

Using similar logic from above:
Diana – For obvious reasons, the DoS’s admired and beloved mother whose charitable causes the DDS have committed to continuing her work.
Victoria – Checks several boxes including a popular British monarch, four maternal ancestors two each on the British side and the Mountbatten side.
Alexandra – Again checks several boxes including a maternal ancestor, the former Queen Consort of King Edward VII and a Mountbatten ancestor being a Princess of Denmark.

[Countessmeout]

Actually there is quite a long list of possible names. I don't se them going off the tracks like Savannah, but I do think they will be more creative then the Hannoverian names of the Cambridge kids.

There is a wide spectrum of names in the BRF and Spencer's. And I think there will be nods to Megan's family in the middle.

Names not currently used as a first name by senior royals:

Boy:

Alfred- King of England
Edmund- King
Edgar-King
Stephen- contested so not sure would see it
Geoffrey
John- debatable considering si called curse but possible, Spencer name too
Thomas-son of Edward II but think markle will have ruined that one
Lionel
Humphrey (can't see this ever but it us in the tree several times)
Arthur
Robert
Malcolm
Kenneth
Frederick
Ernest
Octavia's (as unlikely as Humphrey but still there)
Leopold
Albert


Girls
Eleanor
Isabelle
Adele
Bridget
Emma
Edith
Matilda
Cecilia
Constance
joan
Margaret
Blanche
Philippa
Cecily
Jane
Sophia
Henrietta
Mary
Amelia
Caroline
Augusta
Adelaide
Victoria
Alice
Helena


PLenny more if you go further a branch in the tree. Or into Scotland, added a few. I don't see them going way out or old like Constance, Humphrey or such. But there are enough that are popular and modern feeling with royal history.


I could Meghan being inspired by Philips mother Alice and choosing it.

[Biri]

Originally Posted by O-H Anglophile

I think Harry is closer to the York sisters than he is the Phillips siblings. I'd guess Eugenie over Peter or Zara. Zara is already Prince George's godmother. And possibly a Spencer cousin.

But he is closer in age to Zara than to Eugenie; Zara is even the same age as Meghan.

[sophie25]

Originally Posted by PetticoatLane

Not while there's a pope called Francis.

I suspect they'll go for something a bit more 'hipster-ish', particularly if the child is not to be an HRH and Princes(s). If they are to be given that title by HMQ, then I'd expect a more traditional name.

Please just no Diana as a first name. If it's a girl, she's going to end up in Beatrice/Eugenie's position in due course and God knows it's been difficult enough for them without the millstone that is Diana as a first name.

What's the Pope being called Francis got to do with anything?