Royal baby name: The 10 most likely names for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first child

From Diana to Arthur and Elizabeth, these are the names taking the most bets 

Sarah Young,Sabrina Barr
Sunday 05 May 2019 11:50 BST
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Meghan Markle pregnant: Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry expecting a baby

Ever since Kensington Palace announced the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were expecting their first child, speculation surrounding the baby’s arrival has been rife.

From the exact date the child will be born and its baby’s gender to whether it will receive a royal title and what its surname will be, there’s a lot we don’t know about the royal baby.

But, the one topic that’s really got people talking, and gambling, is the child’s name.

Despite the royal couple choosing to keep the baby’s gender a secret until the day of its birth – Markle reportedly said she didn’t know what the sex of her baby was to a young fan at the Endeavour Fund Awards – bookmakers have been placing bets on the name the couple are most likely to choose for their first child for months.

Potential monikers for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby have included a range of obscure names from Marmaduke to Ursula, but in general, those that have made it into the top 10 pay tribute to the couple’s heritage.

According to Oddschecker – a website that compares the odds from multiple betting sources – it seems the majority of people think the royal baby will be a girl, with nine out of the 10 monikers being traditionally female.

Surprisingly, the name that has taken the top spot with 6-4 odds is Ivy, a name of Old English origin which symbolises fidelity.

In third place, with odds of 7-2, is Diana, which would be in tribute to Prince Harry’s late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

If chosen, the baby would share a name with her cousin, Princess Charlotte, whose full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

Fourth on the list is Victoria – which could be in honour of Prince Harry's great-great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria – while second is Alice – the name of Harry's great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.

The only typically male name in the top 10 is Arthur, in eighth place with odds of 39-5.

Arthur has been used several times in the royal family tree, including as one of Prince William's and Prince Louis' middle names, while James is the name of the current number 11 in line to the throne, the son of the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Elizabeth is in fifth place, a name that would pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, while Alexandra – one of her middle names – is in seventh place.

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Other names that Oddschecker found increasing in bets are girls’ names Harriet, Cecilia, Mathilde and Patricia, and boys’ names Henry, Spencer, Alexander and Edward.

It was recently reported that the name Allegra had surged in bookmakers' list of royal baby names, a name of Italian origin.

For all the latest news on the royal baby, follow The Independent's live blog here.

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