Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s second child is thought to be due sometime this summer and with arrival date fast approaching, fans and experts have already been placing bets on what the new royal baby’s name will be.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were expecting their second child on Valentine’s Day in 2021 after Meghan suffered a miscarriage last summer. They shared the gender of their baby (a girl) while speaking with Oprah during their big March interview. But otherwise, the couple has kept the majority of details about Meghan’s pregnancy and their plans to welcome their daughter private. And that includes what they will name her.
According to many U.K. betting companies like Gambling.com (they give it odds of 4-1) and Coral, Diana is the current favorite baby name for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s second child.
“Diana is the clear favorite in our market now, ever since Harry and Meghan confirmed that they could be having a baby girl,” Harry Aitkenhead, a Coral spokesperson, previously told Metro back in March. “We are convinced it will feature somewhere in the name, going five-to-one that it is the new arrival’s first name.”
But others aren’t so sure. To some, it’s more likely that the couple will honor Harry’s mother by using her name as a middle name for their daughter. William and Kate did this with Princess Charlotte, whose full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
A source recently told Us Weekly that Meghan and Harry want their daughter’s name “to have meaning” and that “there are some top picks for names but nothing concrete.” And a source who spoke to The New York Post stated that the royal couple would likely steer clear of the name Diana because it “would make her a bigger target for the media.” Given the history the two have had with trying to keep son, Archie, out of the media, drawing even more attention to their daughter does not seem like something Prince Harry and Meghan would do.
According to U.K. gambling website Ladbrokes, the baby name “Philippa” has been gaining popularity. Ever since Prince Philip’s death, the moniker has become a favored prediction for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s second child —so much so that the odds are now to 3/1.
“The support for baby Philippa is showing no signs of slowing down, and we’ve been forced to trim the odds again that it’s the name for Harry and Meghan’s daughter,” said Jessica O’Reilly of Ladbrokes, according to People magazine.
Other popular bets include Elizabeth (10/1), Allegra (10/1), Alexandria (12/1), Grace (16/1), Emma (16/1), Rose (16/1), Alice (16/1) and Victoria (16/1).
It’s important to note, Meghan and Harry chose the name Archie for their son. It wasn’t on the radar of betting companies at the time, so it’s totally possible the couple surprises everyone again.
