What’s in a name? According to British-based bookies, a lot of royal lineage. Our opinion? The gambling sites are way off base.
With the imminent arrival of Baby Girl Sussex, the U.K. gambling site Ladbrokes has been keeping close tabs on name predictions for the newest member of the royal family.
Related: Pregnant celebrities: all stars due in 2021.
Following the death of Prince Philip in April, Ladbrokes has reported an increase in popularity for the name Philippa, with the odds recently slashed to 3/1. While royal watchers seem determined to make this name a reality for Harry and Meghan’s new babe, keep in mind how the couple flipped the script with the birth of their son – literally no one predicted they’d go with Archie. Don’t put it past this independent pair to throw us for a loop again.
It’s also worth noting that Harry’s cousins Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall both recently paid tribute to grandpa Philip by bestowing the moniker on their newborn sons as a middle name. If any royal-related name is given to Baby Girl Sussex, it’s more likely to be Diana, after Harry’s beloved late mum.
Related: 15 most popular baby names in 2021 (and 5 becoming extinct).
Our prediction? We’re going with Diana and Elizabeth as duel middle names and something completely original (and not already mentioned) as her primary name. Similar to Archie, Meghan and Harry will likely opt to give their newest family member a name that is completely separated from the royal family they are still rumoured to be estranged from. In addition, as a proud and vocal feminist, Meghan will want her daughter to stand on her own two feet, separate from The Firm and the British tabloids that made her life a living hell and prompted the couple’s permanent relocation to California.
See also: Meghan Markle and the struggle of Black women everywhere.
These are Ladbrokes latest baby name odds, at a glance
- Philippa (3/1)
- Diana (5/1)
- Elizabeth (10/1)
- Allegra (10/1)
- Alexandria (12/1)
- Grace (16/1)
- Emma (16/1)
- Rose (16/1)
- Alice (16/1)
- Victoria (16/1)
Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, announced they were expecting their second child on Valentine’s Day with a stunning black-and-white photo showing off the Duchess of Sussex’s growing baby bump. The revelation came months after Meghan’s November 2020 op ed in the New York Times about the miscarriage she’d suffered that summer.
