Welcome, Lilibet Diana!

　　Meghan Markle and Prince Harry used a name ripe with familial significance for their daughter. But like Archie, it was an unexpected choice, throwing off the bookies (and even us).

　　Lilibet is famously the childhood nickname of Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's grandmother. Lilibet is extremely rare as a given name and has never made it onto the Top 1000 in the US or the UK. The last time it was recorded in the American data was in 1999, when it was given to eight baby girls.

　　Lilibet has recently attracted more attention from being featured on the Netflix series The Crown, which portrays the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. She is often referred to as Lilibet on the show. Lilibet is the most-searched Nameberry girl name in Russia, likely due to The Crown's influence.

　　Diana, of course, honors Harry's mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who passed away when he was 12 years old. Diana was most common as a given name from the 1940s through the '60s — Lady Di was born in 1961. In the US, it had smaller popularity peaks following Princess Diana and Prince Charles' engagement and wedding in the early '80s, and again following her death in 1997.

　　As they did with Archie, Meghan and Harry chose a single middle name for their daughter. This follows a more American convention. Using multiple middle names is a more common practice in the UK, one that is particularly standard among Royals. Prince William's children each have two middle names, Harry and Wills have three.

　　The Duke and Duchess are calling their daughter Lili. Lili is a spelling variation of Lily, the classic floral name which currently ranks at Number 9 on the UK popularity charts and at Number 35 on the US charts. Lily was the third-most-popular girl name in England in 2011 and has been slowly decreasing in popularity ever since. It peaked the same year in the US, when Lily ranked at Number 11, but has had a steeper decline as fresher botanical names such as Violet and Willow heat up. Nevertheless, Lily and Lili are still fashionable on both sides of the pond.

　　The Lili variation ranks at Number 590 in the UK and is outside of the Top 1000 in the US. It is the standard spelling in German, French, and Hungarian, and is currently the ninth-most-popular girl name in Hungary.

　　Lili and Archie are perfectly matched sibling names — each a friendly and familiar choice with nickname style and historic roots. Even Lilibet and Archie are compatible, as both originated as diminutives of traditional, stately names.

　　Lilibet is a bold and meaningful name for the Duke and Duchess's daughter — one that nods at tradition while simultaneously going against the grain. As Meghan and Harry transition from being active Royals, it shows that their value and commitment to family remains strong.

About the Author

Sophie Kihm

　　Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

　　Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at [email protected]. Sophie lives in Chicago.

　　View all of Sophie Kihm's articlesChevron - Right