The royal family are known for choosing traditional names for their children, with Elizabeth, Arthur, George and Alexandra proving some of the most popular through the generations. But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may decide to go rogue when it comes to naming their firstborn, and where better to get inspiration from than their own family trees?
The most common names that appear in both Harry and Meghan's family trees are Mary, John and Elizabeth. But there are some unusual choices on the Duke's side, including Lancelot, Boniface and Marmaduke for a boy, and Ursula and Hyacinthe for a girl. On Meghan's side, Alvin and Doris could be possibilities thanks to her grandparents, while Ralph and Gertrude are also found in her family tree. The former actress' great-great-grandmother, Gertrude Sadler, was known for her charity work.
The research into Harry and Meghan's ancestors was conducted by ancestry.co.uk, whose spokesperson Russell James commented: "Trying to guess the royal baby's name is a great British tradition and having delved into family tree records, we can see the range of names in both families is incredibly diverse. Although traditional names are making a comeback, it would be wonderful to celebrate a Princess Gertrude or a Prince Lancelot!"
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Meanwhile, the bookies favour more traditional British names. Alice, Grace, Victoria, Diana, Alexandra, Elizabeth and Frances are some of the front-runners for a girl, while James, Edward, Alexander, Arthur, Oliver, Winston and Spencer are proving popular for a boy.
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Fans won't know the sex of the baby until the birth, when Kensington Palace will release a statement. Earlier this month, the palace did have to deny reports though, after an article in Vanity Fair claimed Meghan is planning to raise her child gender-neutral. Sources stated that the mum-to-be used the word "fluid" to describe her plans, but a palace spokesman said: "This story is totally false."
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