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

[O-H Anglophile]

I think people just like the idea of twins. And certainly some questionable tabloids in the US are always predicting twins.
I think if Meghan was having twins, the announcement would have been worded more vaguely than “a baby” or they would have just said twins.

When Charlene of Monaco was pregnant with their twins, the first announcement said she and Albert were expecting a “blessed event” and “the birth” was expected at the end of the year.
When Mary of Denmark was pregnant with their twins they said twins in the original announcement.

 

[W.Y.CII]

true , I don't remember how many times Kate “was been pregnant” with twins by the media.

 

[Denville]

Agreed! I mean, to each their own by all means, but I am not exactly sure what sparked the certainty in so many people. I've seen the discussion in several other places too.

I suppose the idea that she's a bit larger than one would expect, for early pregnancy... given how thin women in the public eye are expected to be nowadays...Which is why people have been speculating that she is further along in her pregnancy than 3 months, or that she may be having twins.. or that she "had to announce the pregnancy a few weeks ago because it was so obivious" I don't think it was that obvious myself, with a lot of women it might just be that they had put on a few pounds around their middles...

 

[jacqui24]

I suppose the idea that she's a bit larger than one would expect, for early pregnancy... given how thin women in the public eye are expected to be nowadays...Which is why people have been speculating that she is further along in her pregnancy than 3 months, or that she may be having twins.. or that she "had to announce the pregnancy a few weeks ago because it was so obivious" I don't think it was that obvious myself, with a lot of women it might just be that they had put on a few pounds around their middles...

Most reporting, after the initial announcement, has said she’s 15 weeks or about at the announcement. Likely delayed due to Eugenie’s wedding. Everyone ran thought 12 weeks initially bc in the briefing from Jason Knauf, he said she’s had her 12 week scan. But that just says she’s had the scan, not when she had that scan. Missy Higgins, who was at Admiralty House with her baby, said she told Meghan that she doesn’t know how she’s doing the tour while 4 months pregnant. So people are assuming there was some discussion about how far along Meghan is.

And Meghan was extremely obvious on the tour as pregnant. Obviously, if I met a woman that looked like Meghan on the first day of the Australian tour, I’d think that’s just the way she looks, but I’d think she’s pregnant if she looked like Meghan as the tour went on. But of course, Meghan isn’t some woman I just met, we have a track record of what she actually looks like. Would anyone just look at those photos and say oh, she’s eaten a few burgers lately and move on? No. She looked pregnant.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I think people just like the idea of twins. And certainly some questionable tabloids in the US are always predicting twins.
I think if Meghan was having twins, the announcement would have been worded more vaguely than “a baby” or they would have just said twins.

When Charlene of Monaco was pregnant with their twins, the first announcement said she and Albert were expecting a “blessed event” and “the birth” was expected at the end of the year.
When Mary of Denmark was pregnant with their twins they said twins in the original announcement.

I think you're absolutely right - and also since twins are generally rare in the modern reigning royal sphere, it would still be somewhat of a "novelty" if a major member of the BRF or another RF had twins for the media in particular.
As others have stated, Meghan is visibly pregnant quite early on in her pregnancy so this would also lead others, especially tabloids, to speculate about twins.

 

[Empress Merel]

The only twins in recent memory are Josephine and Vincent, I think?

 

[O-H Anglophile]

The only twins in recent memory are Josephine and Vincent, I think?

And Jacques and Gabriella even more recently.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The only twins in recent memory are Josephine and Vincent, I think?

Gabriella and Jacques are more recent - the heir apparent to Monaco and his older sister.

Albert insisted on male primogeniture when announcing that Jacques, even though younger than Gabriella, would be the heir.

 

[Countessmeout]

The only twins in recent memory are Josephine and Vincent, I think?

Plenty of twins, though only two sets in the ruling royalty. Jacques and Gabrielle of Monaco as well. But there are other twins in the royal circles, including kids. Prince George Friedrich of Prussia and his wife have twins. Also Nicholas and Aymeruc of Belgium. There are more in their late teens and adults.

 

[Carin]

Sometimes twins are not picked up straight away even in this day and age. Anyway what does it matter, if they are having twins and not yet announced it. let them enjoy some private secrets. Back to names, today I thought of a combined baby girl name which would honour both grandmothers. Doriana. It has both names in it, and is not to way out.

 

[Denville]

I think it is too way out... If its a girl, it will problaby be "conventional upper class name, Elizabeth Diana.. maybe with Doria as well.....

 

[Somebody]

Plenty of twins, though only two sets in the ruling royalty. Jacques and Gabrielle of Monaco as well. But there are other twins in the royal circles, including kids. Prince George Friedrich of Prussia and his wife have twins. Also Nicholas and Aymeruc of Belgium. There are more in their late teens and adults.

What do you mean by ruling royalty?

It seems quite a few European reigning royal families have twins in their midst.
Monaco: Gabriella & Jacques
Denmark: Vincent & Josephine
Belgium: Nicolas & Aymeric
The Netherlands: Margarita & Jaime
Luxembourg: Jean & Margaretha

(All either children or grandchildren of a monarch)

 

[Countessmeout]

What do you mean by ruling royalty?

It seems quite a few European reigning royal families have twins in their midst.
Monaco: Gabriella & Jacques
Denmark: Vincent & Josephine
Belgium: Nicolas & Aymeric
The Netherlands: Margarita & Jaime
Luxembourg: Jean & Margaretha

(All either children or grandchildren of a monarch)

The original post was in recent times which I took to mean Kids. If you take the time to read my post I said there were adult and late teen examples in other royal houses. I didn’t see the need to list every single adult twin set to make my point there are plenty.


I agree with Denville that they won’t go way out with some made up name or such. The baby will likely have at least three names, plenty of room to honour both women.

I do think they will branch out a bit more then the predictable Cambridge names. I don’t think they will go to the popular names list or too extreme like Wolf, but do think will go further into the extensive family names

And I did mention Nicolas and Aymeric. I didn’t group with the other two pairs as they are late teens so not recent and not in main line. But if you read I did indeed include them.

 

[Somebody]

The original post was in recent times which I took to mean Kids. If you take the time to read my post I said there were adult and late teen examples in other royal houses. I didn’t see the need to list every single adult twin set to make my point there are plenty.

And I did mention Nicolas and Aymeric. I didn’t group with the other two pairs as they are late teens so not recent and not in main line. But if you read I did indeed include them.

So, by 'ruling royalty' you mean 'direct line' (although Harry's children aren't in direct line either)?! That was the part that puzzled me.

In general, there are not that many children in direct line at all (especially if 'children' are defined as younger than 12 as that is Nicolas and Aymeric's age), so the fact that of those very few there are 2 sets of twins is quite a lot imo.

Let's do the math:
Netherlands: 1 (Ariane)
Belgium: 1 (Eleonore)
Denmark: 3 (Isabella and twins Vincent & Josephine)
Sweden: 2 (Estelle and Oscar)
Norway: 0
UK: 3 (George, Charlotte, Louis)
Spain: 0
Luxembourg: 0
Liechtenstein: 0
Monaco: 2 (twins Gabriella & Jacques)

So, 4 out of 12 royal children, that's 1/3rd!

So, I think we can all agree that the number is relatively high currently.

 

[Carin]

Sometimes twins are not picked up straight away even in this day and age. Anyway what does it matter, if they are having twins and not yet announced it. let them enjoy some private secrets. Back to names, today I thought of a combined baby girl name which would honour both grandmothers. Doriana. It has both names in it, and is not to way out.

I meant to say (but obviously I didn't) Doriana would be a great middle name for a baby girl.

 

[AnnaNotherThing]

Now that the Matthews have announced the name "Arthur Michael William" sorta kinda means Arthur might be out of the running?!

I am still thinking of: Victoria Margaret Elizabeth Diana
I just like the idea of a victory and how the name sounds like Vic-Doria to honour Meghan's mum. And Margaret is the formal form of Meghan and the name of Great Aunt Margaret Rose. The other names are self-explanatory.

As for a boy, I do like: Edward Charles Philip Thomas

Looking forward to a little Prince Teddy ?

 

[Curryong]

Except that an Edward in the Sussex family might get muddled in the public's mind with Edward Wessex.
I can't see them sticking to the Windsor template for boys names actually, except perhaps for a middle one. Most have been used again and again. I'm looking for them to surprise us, in a good way!

 

[King of the Jungle]

More name guesses:

Artemis Rose Meghan
Harriet Doria Louise
Victoriana Mary Elizabeth
Rose Elizabeth and Doriana Poppy (twins)

Charles Hugh Philip John
Arthur Henry John Philip

I don't rule out Arthur. There are multiple small Louis in the extended family, for example.

Maybe some surprise colour names:

Fabiola Blanche Azure
Scarlett Bianca Indigo
Reuben Albion Wedgewood
Redman Barry Larkspur

 

[Somebody]

Would Alastair be an option? It was the name of the last earl of Sussex (born prince Alastair of Connaught) but his death might raise some questions as to reusing his name.

Another name within the royal family (that has been used as a middle name) is Patrick (also the female version: Patricia), for example queen Victoria's third son (Arthur), duke of Connaught and Straheran, Alastair's grandfather; and also by his father as they shared three out of their four names (only the second one differed).

 

[King of the Jungle]

Alastair is cute and handsome!

 

[Royal Suitor]

I know quite a few people wishing for twins more for the novelty than anything else. I did wonder whether Harry stumbling over his words during his arrival speech at the Australia GG's house had greater meaning. "...whether it be a boy or a girl" Further confirmation of his preference for a girl? An attempt to belie the fact that they know the baby's sex? Or a nod to the idea that if it's twins they could have both?

I personally think it's a boy but boy/girl twins would be fun. Very fitting for a couple that's breaking the mold in so many other ways.

 

[Sunnystar]

I'm thinking just one baby and, like the Cambridges, just 3 names. It's more likely that they'll use a nickname or the 2nd or 3rd name as the child's given name than it is they'll have 4 names for this one, IMO.

I could see them going slightly outside of the traditional box, especially if the intent is these children will not ever be HRHs (I know, that's a discussion for another thread, lol). They won't stray as far outside the traditional box as the Phillips or Tindall kids or the more extended Gloucester or Kent broods - something along the lines of Alexander or Caroline, possibly a David or an Eleanor. And nothing that's going be a repeat of a name currently used within the immediate family - so no Andrew, Edward, James, Louise, Sophie, Anne, etc. I do think, if this wee one is a girl, she will have, as Charlotte does, Diana as one of her middle names.

My best guesses:
Alexander Charles David
Caroline Diana Jeanette

 

[RJC]

Ok I'm going for - Harriet Elizabeth Diana - or - Harriet Diana Doria - for a girl. Another Harri would be so cute. Still working on the boys.

 

[Denville]

Harriet would be highly unlikely, far too close to Hary's name... Personally I would like Rachel. It is unusual for a Royal, but it is a dignified bible name.

 

[Kataryn]

Harriet would be highly unlikely, far too close to Hary's name... Personally I would like Rachel. It is unusual for a Royal, but it is a dignified bible name.

But there must be a reason why Maghan does not use that name. I hate my first name, use my second in RL and would never have given a child my real first name.

 

[Somebody]

But there must be a reason why Maghan does not use that name. I hate my first name, use my second in RL and would never have given a child my real first name.

Her parents decided to use Meghan (somewhat comparable with Harry's parents deciding to use Harry instead of Henry - that wasn't Harry's decision either), so she might be fond of the name Rachel as well (she played the character Rachel in Suits ?) but stuck with the name she was always known by. So, she needed a very good reason to start using Rachel instead of Meghan - not the other way around.

 

[Andy T]

Boy:
Philip
Alexander
John
David
Arthur


Girl:
Alice
Mary
Rachael

Frances/Francesca
Matilda

 

[Mirabel]

Her parents decided to use Meghan (somewhat comparable with Harry's parents deciding to use Harry instead of Henry - that wasn't Harry's decision either), so she might be fond of the name Rachel as well (she played the character Rachel in Suits ?) but stuck with the name she was always known by. So, she needed a very good reason to start using Rachel instead of Meghan - not the other way around.

I think Meghan sounds better with her last name than Rachel does.
But Rachel is a pretty name.

 

[jacqui24]

I never thought about Alexander before, but I like it a lot!

It's a strong name, like Henry, but Alex can be used for a more relaxed approach.

 

[SLV]

But there must be a reason why Maghan does not use that name. I hate my first name, use my second in RL and would never have given a child my real first name.

Same here. I would never give my daughter my first name.