The royal baby naming game – will Harry and Meghan go classic or contemporary?
Royals tend to pick traditional names, but the duke and duchess might come up with a surprise choice.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are seen as thoroughly modern royals.
But will the couple go as far as to break the mould when naming their child?
Members of the royal family traditionally choose regal favourites for their youngsters.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge toed the line with George and Charlotte, and Louis has key family connections for the Windsors.
Harry and Meghan’s youngster is not a future monarch nor an HRH and will only be seventh in line to the throne.
Canadian-born Autumn Phillips and the Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips chose a non-traditional name for their first child Savannah – the monarch’s first great-grandchild – in 2010.
Former Suits star Meghan could also follow the celebrity trend of picking an unusual first name for her offspring.
Singer Beyonce has a daughter called Blue Ivy and twins called Rumi and Sir, while actress Kate Winslet called her son Bear, as did singer Cheryl, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin named their daughter Apple.
Harry and Meghan also have a strong affection for Africa, with Harry setting up a charity to help Aids orphans in Lesotho, and the couple camping out under the stars together in Botswana in the early days of their relationship.
Royal aides are also said to be potentially planning for the couple to move abroad for a time, possibly to Africa to continue their work with the Commonwealth.
The couple could decide to take inspiration from Botswana or Lesotho – perhaps for a middle name.
Meghan has revealed that she and Harry have already been given plenty of ideas by family and friends.
During a tram ride in Melbourne on their Australia tour, the duchess told pupils from a local school: “We’ve been given a long list of names from everyone. We’re going to sit down and have a look at them.”
If the Sussexes opt for a more traditional approach to royal baby-naming, here are some of the royal names they might select.
– Victoria
Queen Victoria was previously the longest-reigning monarch in British history before she was overtaken by Elizabeth II in 2015.
She was actually named Alexandrina Victoria and as a child was nicknamed Drina, but ruled as Victoria, which she is said to have preferred.
She married Prince Albert and had nine children, but mourned Albert’s early death for the rest of her life.
The name has been a popular choice for princesses in the British royal family in tribute to Victoria.
– Alice
The Duke of Edinburgh’s mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg, later becoming Princess Andrew of Greece upon marriage.
She saw little of Philip when he was a child. She fell ill and was committed to a sanatorium. She also founded an order of nuns.
The princess – who is buried in Israel – was recognised by Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial as a Righteous Among the Nations for her courage.
In later years, she went to live at Buckingham Palace and used to walk around in a nun’s habit, smoking Woodbines.
– Mary
Mary is one of the Queen’s middle names.
It was also her grandmother’s name, Princess Mary of Teck, who was born in 1867, and was married to George V, becoming Queen Mary.
– Alexandra
Alexandra is another of the Queen’s middle names.
It is also the name of her cousin, Princess Alexandra. The Queen’s great-grandmother was Queen Alexandra.
A Danish princess, she had a happy childhood and was known to her family as Alix.
She was once considered one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe.
– Elizabeth
The monarch is held in such esteem by her family that Harry and Meghan might decide to honour her by choosing Elizabeth as a first name.
The Queen, who is now Britain’s longest reigning monarch, was known as Lilibet as a child.
Harry’s great-grandmother, the Queen Mother, was also an Elizabeth.
Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, ruled from 1558 until 1603.
– Amelia
Amelia was the name of one of George III’s daughters.
Born in 1783, Amelia was the youngest of the king’s 15 children.
She fell passionately in love with one of her father’s equerries, Charles Fitzroy, but was forbidden by her mother from marrying him.
She died from tuberculosis when she was 27.
George II also had a daughter called Amelia.
The name was the most popular girls’ name in England and Wales for five years from 2011, until it was knocked off the top spot by Olivia in 2016.
– Isabella
Isabella could also be a contender. It has been a popular name among foreign royals.
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark’s daughter, who was born in 2007, is Princess Isabella.
Harry’s second cousin once removed Lord Freddie Windsor also has a daughter called Isabella.
– Albert
Queen Victoria used to insist that the name Albert was used as a middle name by her descendants, if not a first, in honour of her much-loved consort Prince Albert.
Shy, stammering Bertie was forced to become king when his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated, but won the nation’s affection by standing firm in London during the Second World War.
Albert is also one of Harry’s middle names.
– Arthur
This has been a popular choice as a royal middle name – for the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Louis, as well as for the Queen’s father, George VI.
Once popular, the name fell out of fashion but has had a revival in recent years. Former prime minister David Cameron has a son called Arthur.
– Philip
A lasting tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh might see a Baby Sussex called Philip.
The duke – known for his dedication to duty and his acerbic wit – has been married to the Queen for more than 70 years and is the nation’s longest-serving consort.
– Frederick
Lord Freddie Windsor was once best known for the scandal that ensued in 1999 when he was reportedly spotted snorting cocaine.
Frederick has been a popular royal middle name, including for the Queen’s father, George VI.
– Charles
Harry may want to pay the ultimate tribute to his father.
Charles is considered an unlucky name for kings, as Charles I was executed and Charles II’s reign featured the plague and the Great Fire of London.
– James
James is a Stuart name.
James I, son of Mary, Queen of Scots, had been king of Scotland for 36 years as James VI when he became king of England in 1603.
