Little Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor has been in this world for a full week, and we’re still talking about the name choice. I still find the whole thing to be… odd. But obviously, the great majority of royal-watchers support Harry and Meghan’s baby-naming choices and their choice (if it is their choice) to not give Archie a royal title. I’ve already shared my theories on the title-less status of Archie, but I haven’t really given too much thought about WHY they named this baby “Archie.” I do not believe that Meghan secretly watches Riverdale, nor so I believe that she was ever obsessed with Archie comics (horses–t). But I do believe these two theories. Theory #1: Harry named Archie after a dear friend in the military.
Prince Harry named his son Archie after his former Army commanding officer – the man who got him deployed in Afghanistan, the Sun on Sunday can reveal. The loyal Duke of Sussex is said to have been inspired by Major Tom Archer-Burton — known as Archie — who also travelled with him through Africa on a charity expedition. According to friends, Harry, 34, credits Archie with saving his military career and helping him serve his country.
Last night a source said: “It’s well known in Army circles, and Archie’s inner circle, that baby Archie is a nod to him.” The two men are incredibly close and struck up a uniquely close bond while serving together. Archie was Harry’s rock, and he was the one instrumental in getting him sent to Afghanistan which was always Harry’s dream — to serve on the front line. “The two men have stayed in regular contact, and Archie has met most of Harry’s family including Meghan. It’s an incredible honour but Archie is an incredibly modest chap, and won’t be making a big deal of it.”
I believe that. I imagine that Harry and Tom Archer-Burton are quite close and the nickname-as-first-name is Harry’s quiet way of honoring his friend. Of course, I also believe Theory #2: Meghan named her baby after a beloved cat.
Baby Archie was named after Meghan’s pet cat and a vintage US comic she used to collect, her pals believe. The future Duchess of Sussex used to tell friends about her beloved moggie Archie, who ended up fat after being constantly fed frozen grapes. They reckon the newborn’s name could be a nostalgic reference to the pet who was also adored by Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland, 62.
A former close friend said on Thursday night: “Doria rescued Archie and he became an important part of the household. Meghan loved playing with him and she was always talking about him to her friends. It’s no surprise she named her new baby Archie. She loved that cat.”
If it’s true, I kind of love it. I’m generally on Team Don’t Give Animals Human Names, but “Archie” is a cute name for a cat, and if Meghan and Doria really loved that cat, I could see Meghan just having a great deal of affection for the name. Both theories could be correct – Meg had a cat named Archie and she loved that name, and Harry wanted to honor his friend Archie. It was a confluence of Archies.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Avalon Red.
I hope Meghan’s cat!
Exactly my thought on the matter lol. Stir the tea up a bit.
While that’s a cute story, I doubt it 😊
There is an interview that Harry met a little boy in NZ named Archie, and he was very taken with him, even called Meg over to meet him, and that’s where he got the “likes” for the name Archie:
https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/a27441580/archie-harrison-name-inspiration-little-boy/
Maybe they had already planned on naming the baby Archie and meeting a darling kid with that name made them feel happy and fuzzy inside.
It’s fun to speculate, isn’t it?
🙂
I wonder why they didn’t name him Archer? They could still call him Archie for a nickname but he could choose to go by Archer when he is older if he likes. Oh well, not my baby and I still think Archie is a cute name.
I prefer the name Archer over Archie.
100%
“Archer” is a name for a man who will grow up to be a douche.
I hesitate to agree because more than one poster has said they’ve named a child that…but it does evoke images of an 80s character played by James Spader.
I mean, if we’re avoiding names that are associated with doucheyness, all of them probably have SOMEONE with that name who is a real tool.
I like it, honestly. There are much douchier names out there, but there are plenty of really awful people with classic names, so it’s impossible to avoid associations.
According to the above article, Archer/Archie is a close friend of Harry’s and a great guy, so not all of them grow up that way.
My own theory is that they DID name him Archer. (It’s part of that birth certificate we will not/may not see.) They just skipped the whole “his name is Henry but he’ll be styled Harry” business the palace did when Harry was born. That way Archie will have time to stick in everyone’s mind.
I honestly think that maybe Harry didn’t like the fact that his given name is not what everyone calls him, so he chose to name his kid what he planned on calling him.
I feel the same. Archer would have been a great name, and his nick could still have been Archie.
As for the cat theory, all I can say is no. Just no. Naming your baby after a cat you once had? Sorry, I don’t believe that. I do believe that because of that beloved pet, it’s likely that Meghan was already fond of the name. But I can’t believe that the future young man who is 7th in line to the throne was named after a cat.
Honestly, I can’t believe anyone would name their child after a pet. You can yell at me; I’m braced for it.
My cat and son Lord Fluffington Snugglebottom the Third are shocked by your comment Vanessa, shocked I say.
LOL
😀 😀
All of my dead cats—Phoebe, Gunther, Emily, Balthazar, Gus, Maggie, and Captain One-Ear—agree with you, Vanessa.
But in the wake of all this controversy, and in solidarity with the Duchess (just in case the lad IS named after her now-defunct cat), if I still have it in me to give birth to a son, I shall name him Captain One-ear. Junior.
I mean, I wouldn’t do it and I love my cats more than most people – but if someone wants to, it’s their business?
I had a Siamese cat that I was absolutely madly in love with. She slept on my pillow every night after making a nest out of my hair. She had the lost amazing blue eyes, a sweet temper, and was wildly intelligent. She died when I was 6 months into my first pregnancy. I’ve had many cats in my life, I love them all. She was different. I grieved until my baby arrived and helped me recover. Two years later when my second was born I was ready to honor my cat and named by daughter after her. My daughter also has beautiful blue eyes, a sweet temper, and a wonderful intellect. I can’t think of anything better than to be associated with a very special cat.
Damnit. I said this isn’t something I would do, but when you put it like that, I get it. I swear Siamese are just something otherworldly. The bond with my half Siamese is something I’d never had before with a cat, and she’s only 9 months old. There’s just some kind of spark that they have that’s different. I swear they know they were adored by royalty in the past because I have never met such a genius little manipulator haha. She KNOWS she’s royalty.
I will say though, the pets I’ve named have been Cuddles (I was 6 to be fair), Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (a group of fish that I could only identify one of), Fynnley, Juno and Cricket. So they’re not as much on the good people name scale as others which is probably why I can’t see myself ever doing it.
Wonderful story. So great to hear heart warming cat stories for a change. It is usually all about the royal dogs.
Sometimes people just really like a name and they give it to the first thing they are caring for (a pet) and then when they have a baby they still really like that name. My sister named her cat Madeleine when she was 12 and while she couldn’t in good faith name her daughter that, guess what her daughter’s middle name is. Not saying I think that’s what happened here. I like Kaiser’s theory that it’s a confluence of Archies. You like a name, he likes the name. You like it so much you named your pet that name, he knew a great human with it. Done.
I named my youngest son after my childhood cat, Thomas. I was a lonely kid and that cat was my closest friend for quite a while. It was the least I could do. It was a great cat, the perfect orange Tom cat.
I appreciate these viewpoints. They make sense as you explain them.
Me either. My husband loved the name Pearl. He always said if he had a daughter he wanted to name her Pearl. I did not however share his enthusiasm for that name. So after I dodged the bullet and had a son, I quickly named our new dog Minnie Pearl and we called her Pearl. That way if something happened and I were to get pregnant with a girl I could veto the name under the reasoning that we couldn’t name our daughter the same thing as our dog. Only now that Minnie Pearl turned out to be the best girl in the world I wouldn’t be opposed to naming a daughter after her at all (thank god I’m past my childbearing years with no surprises). Ain’t life funny that way.
I see both being true as well. Meg has to like the name, otherwise I doubt she would give the ok to use it. And I don’t think she would just name a baby after her cat. But her cat and Harry’s friend? Yep.
This would also go along with the theory that they chose the name early, George heard it, and that’s why he was apparently calling himself that.
I agree with you. I can see Harry throwing the name in the ring because of his friend and Meghan going, “Oh, you know, I had a cat named Archie growing up. I adored him.” If they both have a positive connection with the name, it makes sense that it made the short-list.
I had a huge Golden Retriever named Archie that I lost last summer after 15 years ~ so hearing the name now makes me smile…
Jenny, I’m very sorry about your loss of your precious furbaby. 😞 But I’m glad hearing his name is making you smile.
Lol what did I just read…. they named their child after a cat :Dddd
Noooo I don’t believe that
Why would anyone suggest such a thing??? I would be so mortified if someone assumed it it about my baby
So ridiculous! The cat I guess shows that she’s always liked the name, but of course she didn’t name her first born child after a cat. That’s just nonsense.
There is another story, he was named Archie for a member of the Royal Family from the 18th century.
You learn about Meghan’s stealth visits unexpectedly.
The school they visited in Nottingham on her first walk about, a teacher and students did an interview wishing them well on the of birth of Archie, and the teacher said she came back and mentored a girl, who she invited to the wedding, the girl was so happy, showed a picture of her in her wedding dress.
I read that story too and was so impressed that she went back to the school and kept in touch. Superb.
I am very much team Give Animals Human Names but wouldn’t give my child a repeat name of my pet!
I only give human names to my pets. My opinion only, but it seems so dismissive to name them nonsense names, and I will never understand naming them after food or other animals. I sort of understand Bear, but that commercial with the aging dog named, “Duck”?
I like to use names of people I respect or my favorite book/movie characters. I had a wonderful dog named Maya, and I currently have a cat named Arya. My current dog is Luke, which is the name he came with from the shelter and I fostered him for a long time. I couldn’t change his name and I loved it by then.
Same! Mine are Hildy and Walter after His Girl Friday characters.
Archie is a cute name. If the Queen approves, no one else matters.
Right. It’s cute. Everyone keeps saying it’s cute. Some 35 year old men (or women) though would not appreciate a cute nickname as their formal name. I would not.
Or guess what.. they just genuinely liked the name Archie. Not everything has to be a big story or relation to something. Giving the kid a clean slate without honoring someone or something was the best decision by them
Probably both. I gave my son the middle name Henry and that is the name of my still living cat who is my first baby. I love the name, and yes it is in honor of my beloved cat. I like my cat better than I do most of my family. So when people ask I say family name. Bc it’s true!
I am a HUGE cat lady, but I’d never ever name a child after one of my cats, ahaha. That’s just a bit deeper into the level of crazy cat lady than what I’d ever go.
Also, don’t feed cats grapes. There’s no concrete proof that it’s AS dangerous to feed them graps as it is to feed dogs grapes – but the potential is still there and it’s not worth the risk. But DO eat frozen grapes yourself because they are delicious in the summer.
Feeding the cat frozen grapes is the most appalling ( if true) part of this story!
It’s a great name on its own and I don’t understand the negative reaction to it here.
There will be a negative reaction to any and everything Meghan and/or Harry does. Always and forever.
Look how silly this is: she named the baby after a CAT. Despite the actual evidence of it being related to someone important in HARRY’s life. No, it’s that awful uppity Meghan, out of line again!
SHE’s the one who never sets a foot wrong. But some folks will never admit it. Judgy Dicky and that Richard Whatsit dude among them. (Wait wait, they are not the same dude, are they?!)
Lol. I am all about giving pets real names. My cat’s names are/were Declan (who passed away) and Finnegan. We call him Finn. I actually really dislike weird made up names for pets.
As for Archie – it’s apparently a rather popular and in vogue name for little boys in the UK atm. So I think coupled with Harry’s friend and Meghan’s beloved cat they decided to go for it
We have a Fynnley that goes by Fynn. Such a great cat name.
Finley is the name of a little girl on my son’s tball team and a Finn is in class with my older son.
I had Archer as my son’s middle name but changed it last minute to my maiden name for my dad.
Still an Archie as a real name fan.
My friend had a cat named Bones. Big stripey kitty. Then he got another cat who he wanted to name Spock. His GF objected, saying Spock was too cheesy, and his defence was that he’d already started the theme with Bones. (They eventually got a Sulu and an Uhuru.)
I think these are all perfectly valid cat names! The cats don’t care what you call them, as long as you don’t call them late to dinner.
Also, I personally know three dogs named Riley, and three cats named Mr Pants. So… there is a case to be made for originality!
All my pets get “people” names.
OR……they just liked the freaking name. My god.
Exactly. They could have named him after a vegetable or the leftover tiles in a Scrabble game but they chose a real, normal name. It’s really no big deal. They like it, who cares?
The cat story sounds like BS especially the grape part: “Grapes and raisins can cause acute (sudden) kidney failure in cats and dogs. It is unknown what the toxic agent is in these fruits.”
I actually found a site that said they’re okay for cats, but not for dogs. (I was wondering the same because I’m terrified of my dog accidentially getting into the grapes.)
I used to peel the grapes and cut them in half for my dogs and cats. They loved them, esp. red, frozen ones 😊 My animals lived long, pampered lives. The ONLY things I was told to not feed the dogs were chocolate, onions, and garlic.
In defense of Archie comics, I don’t watch Riverdale but I grew up on the comics and named more than one hamster after the characters.
I like the name Archer a lot but Archie not so much. I don’t like boys names that end in “ie” but he’s their child and it’s their business.
I’m here for giving pets human names. All my pets have had human names. Except for the rats we inherited from my daughter’s first grade teacher after the school decided no more pets were allowed in the classrooms. Their names were Rattilda and Ratpunzel (we nicknamed her Punzie).
I cannot take the name Archie seriously. As a nickname, fine, but not as a formal, legal name. As for naming the baby after Tom Archer-Burton to honour him, my initial reaction was, ‘Well why didn’t you name him Tom?’, but that would mean naming him Thomas, and Meghan’s crazy father would think it was a nod to him. So the kid was lumbered with Archie. Wasn’t there another normal sort of name they could agree on to give their son except that of a cartoon character or a cat? The mind boggles. That family is nothing if not entertaining.
They name him “Archie Bunker” a nod to Meghan’s dad.
Archie is a horrible name.
Fgs! Archer,Archie who cares.Its a name and one that they liked.Why are people acting like its the worst name in the world when ive heard way worse.Just cos yall wanted him to be named philip or whatever 5 names the royals use doesn’t mean the name isnt perfectly fine.
Some people have told themselves that they are royal experts just because they follow the family through social media and tabloids. You also have an obsessed and insane amount of people who think their thoughts and opinions matter to Harry and Meghan. There are thousands of Archies alive today, and it’s becoming a little insulting to keep harping on the name.
So true! And it is so much better than North, South, East, West, etc. , lol! It’s a great name and I hope he grows up to have a happy life.
One of my cats has a large spot on the tip of her nose. My nephew named her Booger. So no, can’t imagine naming a baby/child after my cat. 🙂
I’m team don’t give pets serious names. Silly non human or sweet non human names only. Everyone is different.
I don’t believe this story it’s from the sun paper all these conspiracy theories to try to figure out why Meghan and Harry name their son Archie is ridiculous.
I like the story about Archie being named after his close friend from his Army days. I hope this is true.
There’s also the theory that Rachel (Meghan’s first given name is connected as a near anagram: Archie. Maybe? I mean they did do the Harrison tribute to Harry…
Naw. They’re just Indiana Jones fans!
It’s no less realistic.
How does the name Harry sound more adult than Archie? No difference IMO.
He’s literally working a day here and there. Some for only a few hours and he’s back home.
Most countries don’t have a paternal leave for a new baby. Most fathers make it for the birth and maybe a day or two afterwards and back to work they go. Meghan and Archie are fine. I’m sure her mom is still there and if not, she has more than enough help.
These engagements were scheduled before Archie arrived and he already said he was a week late. There is no way to just bail on charity events last minute.
I’m sure if Meghan wanted him home 24/7 he would be right there. As Harry said in his engagement, Archie is basically sleeping most of the time. Doesn’t even know Harry’s gone!