Archie: Is the royal baby name chosen by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a popular choice among Crawley parents?

With the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have opted to name their new baby Archie, the name will no doubt soon be gaining popularity around the world.
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With the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have opted to name their new baby Archie, the name will no doubt soon be gaining popularity around the world.

But it seems parents in Crawley are already ahead of the curve.

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Archie was the area’s fourth most popular baby name in 2017, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, with their newborn baby son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle (Photo: DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images)Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, with their newborn baby son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle (Photo: DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, with their newborn baby son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle (Photo: DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

There were 10 little Archies born to mothers from Crawley during the year, the last period with available data.

They joined 2,790 born elsewhere in England and Wales, making Archie the 18th most popular name across the two countries.

Prince Harry and Meghan revealed the name of their first child two days after his birth.

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The couple’s Instagram account announced: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pleased to announce they have named their first born child: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.”

The duke and duchess’s son arrived on Monday, May 6, at 5.26am, weighing 7lb 3oz.

As is the custom for royal babies, Harry and Meghan will have shared news of their choice with the monarch before releasing it to the public.

Harry said, when announcing the birth, that the baby’s late arrival had given them longer to decide on a name.

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Archie is a name of German origin and means “genuine”, “bold” and “brave”.

Short for Archibald, it is now given as a name in its own right.

Among the bookmakers’ favourites before the name was announced were Alexander, Arthur, Albert, as well as James and Philip, while Spencer was a late favourite, but Archie was a surprise choice.

The most popular boys name in Crawley was Oliver.

The most popular girls name, meanwhile, was Emily.

Report by Harriet Clugston, data reporter

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