All the theories on where Archie Harrison’s name comes from

May 17, 2019

It’s been a week since little <a href="/tags/0/archie-harrison"><strong>Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor</a></strong> <a href="https://ca.hellomagazine.com/royalty/02019050651212/prince-harry-meghan-markle-welcome-baby-boy"><strong>came into the world</a></strong>, and almost the same amount of time since his parents <a href="/tags/0/meghan-markle"><strong>Duchess Meghan</a></strong> and <a href="/tags/0/prince-harry"><strong>Prince Harry</a></strong> <a href="https://ca.hellomagazine.com/royalty/02019050851314/meghan-markle-prince-harry-royal-baby-name"><strong>announced his name</a></strong>. Their unusual choice has sparked all kinds of theories from fans about why the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted to go with the moniker, from the plausible to downright batty!
<p><strong>Click through the gallery for all the guesses that have been made about where Meghan and Harry’s first born son’s name comes from.</strong>
Photo: © Dominic Lipinski/AFP/Getty Images

<h2>Archie comics / <i>Riverdale</i>?</h2>
<p>Master Archie’s name could be a tribute to the beloved <i>Archie</i> comic book series, of which Meghan’s dad, <a href="/tags/0/thomas-markle"><strong>Thomas Markle</a></strong>, is said to be a huge fan. Last week, <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9042097/royal-baby-archie-meghan-markle-cat/" target="blank"><i>The Sun</i></a> reported Meghan and her father used to collect the comics and used he them to bond with his daughter when she was a child.
<p>“She would spend her weekends going to vintage stores to buy the comics,” <i>The Sun</i> quotes one of Meghan’s former close friends as saying. “This could be a little nod to her dad. It was him who installed that hobby into her, that was their activity together. He would drive her around and also surprise her with vintage volumes. She had at least 100.”
<p>It’s not known whether Meghan is a big fan of Netflix series <a href="/tags/0/riverdale"><i>Riverdale</i></a>, the live-action series based on Archie comics, but after Archie’s name was announced last week, star <strong><a href="/tags/0/k-j-apa">K.J. Apa</a></strong> (who plays Archie on the show) was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxNXN8wHQ4h/" target="blank">tagged in a post</a> by <i>The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina</i> star <strong><a href="/tags/0/kiernan-shipka">Kiernan Shipka</a></strong> in which she cheekily referred to him as “the royal baby.” Netflix’s official Instagram account also shared <a href=" https://www.instagram.com/p/BxNXN8wHQ4h" target="blank">a bizarre meme</a> of Harry holding baby Archie with K.J.’s face photoshopped in.
<p>There’s also the fact that Harry has red hair, just like the fictional Archie…
<p>Photo: © Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

Archie comics / Riverdale?

Master Archie’s name could be a tribute to the beloved Archie comic book series, of which Meghan’s dad, Thomas Markle, is said to be a huge fan. Last week, The Sun reported Meghan and her father used to collect the comics and used he them to bond with his daughter when she was a child.

“She would spend her weekends going to vintage stores to buy the comics,” The Sun quotes one of Meghan’s former close friends as saying. “This could be a little nod to her dad. It was him who installed that hobby into her, that was their activity together. He would drive her around and also surprise her with vintage volumes. She had at least 100.”

It’s not known whether Meghan is a big fan of Netflix series Riverdale, the live-action series based on Archie comics, but after Archie’s name was announced last week, star K.J. Apa (who plays Archie on the show) was tagged in a post by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Kiernan Shipka in which she cheekily referred to him as “the royal baby.” Netflix’s official Instagram account also shared a bizarre meme of Harry holding baby Archie with K.J.’s face photoshopped in.

There’s also the fact that Harry has red hair, just like the fictional Archie…

Photo: © Dominik Bindl/Getty Images

<h2>Meghan’s cat?</h2>
<p>Some of Meghan’s old pals believe Archie was named after her cat, who passed away while she was in university.
<p>A former close friend told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9042097/royal-baby-archie-meghan-markle-cat/" target="blank"><i>The Sun</i></a> that Meghan adored the feline, and the publication reports she often fed him frozen grapes.
<p>“<a href="/tags/0/doria-ragland"><strong>Doria</strong></a></strong> rescued Archie and he became an important part of the household,” the source said. “Meghan loved playing with him, and she was always talking about him to her friends.”
<p>Photo: © Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

<h2>A nod to Diana?</h2>
<p><strong>Archibald Campbell</strong>, 9th Earl of Argyll, who lived from 1629 to 1685, was a Scottish leader who was the hereditary chief of Clan Campbell. He also worked to restore the Royal Family after the beheading of <strong>Charles I</strong> by the Roundheads in 1649. Archibald was a Protestant, who was executed in 1685 for opposing Catholic King <strong>James II</strong> and organizing a rebellion to depose him.
<p>Archibald is said to have been one of Diana’s ancestors, and some fans have theorized Archie’s name is a subtle tribute to her.
<p>Photo: © John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Getty Images

<h2>A New Zealand connection?</h2>
<P>While on royal tour in New Zealand last year, Prince Harry reportedly met a little boy named <Strong>Archie Somerville-Ryan</strong>, according to New Zealand website <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/05/royal-baby-archie-was-the-name-inspired-by-a-new-zealand-boy.html" target="blank">Newshub</a>.
<p>“He said, ‘Archie, I like that name,’” the boy told the news outlet. Harry called Meghan over to meet Archie, too.
<p><strong>Emily Somerville-Ryan</strong>, the boy’s mother, said she was stunned by how taken Harry was by the name. “My friend Bridget said ‘oh my goodness he was so into Archie - he’s definitely going to call the baby Archie’ and I thought ‘what?’”
<p>Photo: © David Rowland/Getty Images

A military connection?

Archie Harrison’s name may also have been inspired by someone who was important to Harry while he served in Afghanistan. The prince’s former commanding officer was Tom Archer-Burton.

According to The Sun on Sunday, Tom convinced Harry to stay in the army instead of quitting when he was told he could not be deployed to Iraq for six months. Tom later worked to get Harry deployed to Afghanistan twice. Tom’s nickname is Archie.

Harry and Tom have stayed friends since Harry’s time in the British army, and he even attended Harry’s wedding to Meghan in 2018. The newspaper reports Tom also helped Harry rebuild a school in Lesotho.

“It’s well known in Army circles, and Archie’s inner circle, that baby Archie is a nod to him,” a source told The Sun on Sunday. “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.”