If you ask Meghan Markle, she has strong advice about naming a baby and it’s advice she’s happy to share with parents everywhere.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, talked about baby names on the May 27 season finale of her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.
Meghan told Sara Blakely during a personal conversation how her thoughts had matured from her own experiences as a mother and national figure.
When you know the name you have for your child, hold it close to your heart until you get to use it, Meghan added. “You shouldn’t get anyone else’s opinion.”
We were talking about becoming entrepreneurs and being mothers when she offered the advice.
Meghan, who is 43 now, said picking a baby name was like naming a brand, because they are both personal choices that can quickly get complicated if you involve too many people.
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“This is the same as SurveyMonkey,” Meghan teased, as it’s a common practice to ask many people for feedback these days. People often say, “So, what does this make you think?” To be honest, you won’t need the extra noise. It is important to have your own clarity before you begin.
A Worship Leader’s Gain from Learning About Names
Prince Harry and Meghan have two young children, Archie, 6 and Lilibet, 3. As it turns out, both names have special meaning and thought put into them.
That year, the couple stated they considered two choices for their son’s name: Archie and Harrison. As time passed, Archie was chosen for the first name and Harrison was chosen for the middle one, as a way to honor Harry’s son.
Lilibet’s name was chosen after Queen Elizabeth II, since her childhood nickname was Lilibet. Harry paid a quiet tribute to his mother with the name which Princess Diana’s name also makes up part of their daughter’s full name.
Yet, even though they come from a royal background, both Meghan and Harry made sure to get permission before ever using the Queen’s nickname. Representatives from the couple released a statement:
The Duke told his family about his plans before he went public. In fact, he called his grandmother first after arriving.
Balconet shared with me that they wished to call their daughter Lilibet to honor Meghan. They would not have used the name if she had not agreed to it.”
What I Learned from Motherhood and Running a Business
Meghan used her podcast to talk about how motherhood and being an entrepreneur are similar because she has spent the last few years living both roles.
She openly talked about the trouble she had naming her brand which had its roots in American Riviera Orchard.
The name honored her home in Santa Barbara, a place frequently nicknamed The American Riviera. Eventually, Meghan understood that the name was too narrow for her.
She said, “I was only able to find things grown or manufactured here.” Netflix entered our lives — as a TV star and also as my company’s business partner — and that made a major difference.
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Meghan took some time to think and finally picked the name As Ever for her brand. Although she became Kim Parker in 2022, she had not announced that fact until now.
“In other words, ‘As Ever’ means there has been no change in the message,” she remarked. Anyone who has been a part of The Tig since 2014 knows I have always enjoyed cooking, creating and gardening — that’s what I’m all about. Sharing it the same way hasn’t been easy in the past few years, but now I can again.”
What Makes Her Baby Name Rule So Attractive
Most parents agree with Meghan that keeping their future child’s name private for as long as needed helps avoid stressful comments from people on social media, friends and family.
With so much second-guessing these days, Meghan’s idea to rely on your gut is much needed.
The Duchess believes that choosing a name for a child or business and anything, should come from personal feelings rather than having to explain the decision to outsiders.
Meg lived through making tough choices as a prominent person, a parent and an entrepreneur and her experience has shown her that special moments need to be saved until they are right to share.
She made these comments during her podcast.
There are things in your life that only you have and that’s normal. You get to give your child a name and you get to call your dream whatever you like.