Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Almost Didn't Name Their Son Archie

When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced that they had welcomed their first child back in 2019, the world was introduced to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Following his arrival, royal fans got Archewell, a portmanteau that combined the kiddo's first name into a very sweet name for the Sussex's official charity. However, People reports that Meghan and Harry struggled to choose their son's name, waffling between Archie and Harrison.

Sherry McBain, a nursing officer in the Royal Air Force that's competing in the Invictus Games this year, told the PA news agency that her wife brought Meghan a children's book during a public appearance and told the duchess that her son was named Harrison.

"[Meghan] was like 'Harrison, that's Archie's middle name', and Mandy was like 'Yeah, I know,'" McBain said, according to People. "They were just having a chat because Harry and Meghan couldn't decide between Archie and Harrison for the first name."

Archie means "genuine," "bold," and "brave," Yahoo reports, and is often short for Archibald. Harrison means "son of Harry," which makes sense and could have been used as a tribute to Prince Harry. People adds that other names that made the shortlist include Arthur, James, Philip, and Albert.

McBain also told sources that Meghan was "really open" and "very friendly" at the Invictus Games event, saying that Harrison was "just over the moon that a princess has read him a story, so that went down really well with all the U.K. children."

"Harrison was drawing pictures and telling her that it was a picture of a tram," McBain added. "I don't think it quite looked like a tram, so she was very gracious and said that's a brilliant tram, so he was delighted."

Harry also spoke about Archie over the weekend, telling attendees at the Invictus Games opening ceremony that they already talk about what he wants to be when he grows up. A prince or duke isn't on the list, but a pilot is.

"When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it's an astronaut, other days it's a pilot — a helicopter pilot obviously — or Kwazii from Octonauts," Harry said. "If you're laughing, then you've seen that."

"But what I remind him is that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it's your character that matters most, and nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today," he finished.