Let's talk about Lilibet!

Girl Names
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In the last week I’ve really begun to fall back in love with the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], and I have many questions and curiosities surrounding it. I’ve separated this into a few different sections in hope that it will be a bit easier to read, as this is such a longwinded post!

1 - [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], and its rank since her birth.

As I’m sure we all know, [name_u]Prince[/name_u] [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f] Markle welcomed a daughter named [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] [name_f]Diana[/name_f] on [name_u]June[/name_u] 4th, 2021. Immediately the name was talked about loads on social media, and was expected to make a huge rise in popularity. Generally, every time a name is used within the royal family the name rises in popularity. For example, the name [name_m]Archie[/name_m] ranked 984 in 2018, and when [name_u]Prince[/name_u] [name_m]Archie[/name_m] was born in 2019, it rose to 674. The name [name_m]Archie[/name_m] has continually gotten more popular since then, and currently sits at number 377 in the US charts. Another example is [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]. In 1987 (the year before [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] was born), the name ranked 837 in the US, whereas in 1988 the named ranked 675. [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] was born in [name_u]August[/name_u] of 1988, so I’ll also include Beatrice’s rank in 1989, which was 670.

However, [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] seems to not follow this trend. The year before [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] was born (2020), fewer than five baby girls were given the name. In 2021, 12 baby girls were named [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]. In 2022, there were 25 baby girls named [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] (or perhaps 69…I’m not 100% sure, but I lean more towards 25 being true.) According to my search on the SSA Name Database the name has not ranked inside the top 1000 names anytime from 1900-2022 (which shocked me so much, that I’m even wondering if the website is just not working…). I’m very curious as to why this is. To me it’s understandable that the named didn’t rise to a high number in the charts (as in the top 500), but I find it very interesting that it didn’t even make the top 1000. As mentioned above, [name_m]Archie[/name_m] rose 310 spots in the charts the year he was born, and [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] rose 162 spots the year she was born. [name_m]Just[/name_m] to put this more in perspective, the current #984 baby boy name in the US (where [name_m]Archie[/name_m] ranked before [name_u]Prince[/name_u] [name_m]Archie[/name_m] was born) is [name_u]Kooper[/name_u], which was used 227 times. The #674 baby boy name (where [name_m]Archie[/name_m] ranked the year he was born) in 2022 is [name_u]Kyree[/name_u], which was used 403 times, meaning within the year, the amount of babies named [name_m]Archie[/name_m] likely doubled. The same thing is true for [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], but I still find it interesting that the name ranks quite far outside the top 1000.

What do you guys think about this? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think there is any particular reason for it?

I wonder if it’s perhaps because [name_f]Meghan[/name_f] and [name_u]Harry[/name_u] don’t have as positive of a public image than some of the other royals? Though, I suppose it could just be because the name was already so uncommon!

2 - What vibes and imagery do you get from the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]?

I definitely feel like it has a sweet cottagecore aesthetic. I imagine a [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] as a giggly little girl who loves to run and play outside. She loves dresses and flowers, and is kind to all animals and people she comes across!

3 - How do you personally feel about the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]?

As I said above, I do really like the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]. I think she’s got a sweet sound and versatile nicknames.

4 - [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think of the name in a different light now that it’s been used by [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f]?

For me personally, I would say that I like the name much more now that it’s been used by [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f], but I think part of the reason is because I do generally have positive feelings towards them. I also did not know of the name prior to Lilibet’s birth, but I don’t think I would’ve liked it if I had known of it. Now the name sits confidently on my long list, and has recently been rising in terms of the amounts I like it!

So sorry about this post being so long, but I feel like there was so much I wanted to talk about surrounding the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]! :dove: :tulip:

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I like [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], it’s spunky, but i will say, I prefer [name_f]Lilibeth[/name_f] a tiny bit more

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This is just speculation on my part, but I think it could be down to two factors. First of all, it doesn’t have as much of an approachable or on-trend sound as Archie. I mean, Archie fits right in with other beloved British choices like Alfie! Lil- names are popular, of course, but Brits generally prefer their shorter names (for example, the similar Lily is in the top 10, but Liliana and Lillian hover at around 210 and 400 respectively) and I wonder if it’s a bit too ‘out there’ or ‘posh’ (not my own opinion) to the average American. Secondly, and I think this is especially relevant when comparing Beatrice with Lilibet, I think there’s an overall disillusion with the royal family, especially when comparing the public’s attitudes now to past centuries. Positive sentiment towards the British royal family has continued to wane over the years, as far as I know, and as you mention yourself there was a lot of personal drama surrounding the family around Lilibet’s birth.

Also, since Lilibet is a nickname, I wonder if some people who are using it are using it as a nickname for Lily or Elizabeth, where it wouldn’t show up in official data!

Very spring-like and flowery! For some reason, kinda French :sweat_smile: It reminds me of names like Lilou and Aurelie that just make me think of the rolling prairies of the French countryside!

It’s not my personal style, especially since I don’t personally like the nicknames Lili and Bettie, but I really like it for others! I think it’s quite underrated.

Edit: I do enjoy it as a middle though!! It adds a very sweet vibe to any first name.

Not trying to sound rude, but I just can’t think of a way to word this that doesn’t come off as very blunt, so bear with me, but to keep it short I just couldn’t care less about the British royal family and what they get up to, so no, not really :sweat_smile: I knew the name before their daughter, I feel like it’s always been one you’d occasionally see on NB!

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@coolauntieviolet It seems [name_f]Lilibeth[/name_f] is slightly more common here in the US than [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] is, so that makes sense!

@tallemaja That is also very true! [name_m]Archie[/name_m] is more on-trend with it being a classic nickname, and it being on the shorter side, whereas [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] seems a bit more dated than it! Haha, I get that sentiment about the royal family! I feel the same way a large amount of the time, but for some reason I became obsessed with the [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f] Netflix show recently, so I think that is part of the reason for my recent adoration of [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] :sweat_smile:

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Well, most children have name such as Charlotte and Olivia or Lily. I feel like to a lot of people it is more, Then why don’t we just name her Lily?. I also just really doesn’t have a popular sounds such as Archie and Beatrice. Like Archie and Beatrice were already known and farmiliar names. Lilibet is completely new and unexpected.

I get a sweet little girls, with brown hair and nature vibes, playing in the woods and smiling from ear to ear.

I managed to find a more exact picture so here it is

IMG_6745
IMG_6745596×795 166 KB

I like Lilibet a lot. But I think that comes from my love of the sound Lili at the beginning of a name, (eg: Lilia, Lilibeth) But I do think it is very pretty.

I don’t really know as I haven’t heard of it before so I never hugely had an opinion on it. But I do really like it.

Hope this helps! :sunny::white_heart:

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I think it’s a couple of things that holds Lilibet back from suddenly shooting up in the ranks:

  1. a unique choice, tied very much to the UK Royal family. I feel like Beatrice and Archie both have other associations or at least grounding in other similar names (Archie → Archer / Arthur / Alfie / Arlo /Asher ||| Beatrice → Bethany / Candice / Alice / Brittany / Patrice/ia / Bridget), whereas Lilibet is definitely a nod to the Royal familly?

  2. The Meghan and Harry thing - I think this plays into it. It feels like people would ask your thoughts on it, if you said your daughter is Lilibet

  3. Lilibet is nicknamey, which doesn’t seem to vibe with current US trends

I’m intrigued to see what happens with Lilibet in the UK :thinking:

It does give me the cottagecore vibes - sunny days, flowers, bumblebees, growing your own veg. But also a bit of the land-girl, make-do-and-mend, vintage, 1940s sort of thing too

It’s sweet in itself, pretty zippy and charming, but too Royal Family to me

Not so much. I already knew of it as a nickname of Queen Elizabeth, so I associated it with her first! I remember reading about it in a WW2 exhibit (hence the vibe Lilibet gives me probably), and my mum said she’d always thought it was a lovely name. So, I guess I see this as a very Royal/in-honour-of-the-late-queen kind of choice, rather than Harry and Meghan?

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[name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] is an unusual sounding name. Really frilly sounding to me as an American. I wasn’t aware of it until watching the [name_m]Crown[/name_m]. It’s almost like calling [name_f]Lily[/name_f] “Lily-bug” or [name_f]Katie[/name_f] “Katie-did.” I just don’t even feel like its a usable first name choice.

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[name_f]My[/name_f] quick two cents as an Aussie/member of the Commonwealth, [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] has always been known as the Queen’s (QEII) nickname and term of endearment from her husband so it would have felt and still feels for many I suppose, a little improper or just weird to use the name. I also find it’s not the easiest name to say, it’s not exactly Lily-Bet, more Lil-eh-bet but even still, you might just say “let’s just go with Lily”. No time for all Qs but these factors might transfer to others.

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[name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f] are controversial, and when I think of [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], I do think of them and [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. I remember seeing a lot of drama around the name when it was announced, so I think most people wanted to stay out of it. [name_u]Or[/name_u], as @/tallemaja said, it could’ve been used as a nickname which wouldn’t have shown on the charts!

I believe the site really is broken because it wouldn’t show me the stats for [name_f]Lucinda[/name_f] :smiling_face_with_tear:

[name_f]My[/name_f] first introduction to the name came from [name_u]Harry[/name_u] & [name_f]Meghan[/name_f]. I hadn’t heard of the name prior to them. Initially, I didn’t like it. It seemed incomplete to me, but I appreciated them for choosing a unique name rather than a popular name. I started liking it but then started being indifferent to it. I think I prefer the [name_f]Lilibeth[/name_f] spelling as it seems complete to me.

It reminds me of the countryside, straw hats, weave baskets, citruses, a sunny day, fruit jams and preserves and flowy pastel dresses. I’d like to also add that I am rubbish at writing descriptions so this may not accurately be what I am trying to say, but most of it is.

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It’s too nichely (not a word :joy:) tied to the [name_u]Royal[/name_u] family. Also the controversy surrounding [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f] will be a very limiting factor… there are people who really, really despise them. The strength of feeling of some people about them is bewildering.

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Kind of a controversial [name_u]Berry[/name_u] take but I just can’t get behind [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] :face_with_peeking_eye:

  1. Before [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] was [name_u]Harry[/name_u] & Meghan’s baby, it was the nickname of the late [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. But it wasn’t just a nickname like “Betty” or “Liz,” the story was that [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] was the baby talk way that she pronounced [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. All names start somewhere but I find [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] to be very personal and essentially modern invented (even though the [name_u]Royal[/name_u] Family connection makes that seem paradoxical).
    [name_m]Archie[/name_m] was already trending in the UK and coming along in the US by way of other similar names like [name_u]Archer[/name_u], [name_u]Arlo[/name_u], nickname names in general, etc. [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] has centuries of use - it’s a Shakespearean name and [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] was named after another [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] so it was well established even as a royal name. Additionally, if you named your child [name_m]Archie[/name_m] or [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], it might bring royal vibes to mind but I would never assume that you named your child after the figures.
  2. Very springtime, pastels, early blooms, with a bit of doilies, bonnets, vintage style
    :hatching_chick::tulip::teapot::ballet_shoes::fountain::bouquet::basket: I see dresses, easter egg hunts, picnics, vanilla ice cream, lacey socks, the scent of tea.
  3. This sort of combines 1 and 4, but I think it’s a bit like naming your kid [name_f]Beyonce[/name_f] - someone probably wouldn’t have come up with it on their own and it’s clear that it’s after a famous person which would elicit a clear connection and probably questions or conversations about that person (which might not be favorable given the controversy or drama that follows them). It’s also just too cutesy for me in general. I think Lili/other [name_f]Lil[/name_f]- name with the nickname [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] would be sweet. I love Elsbeth/Elspeth, Betty/Betsy, other similar names. Also, for some reason, [name_f]Lilibeth[/name_f] has completely different vibes to me. Much more bookish, rainy mornings, violets, wide eyes.
  4. I see it differently because it’s definitely in the mainstream as a name, we also will likely see their [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] in the public eye as the years go on and she could carry a significant influence. Before they used it, I might think someone naming their daughter [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] was a true Royalist who might have framed pictures of the queen. Now it’s more of a pop culture name with a strong royal theme - I would assume this person followed the monarchy and was a fan of [name_u]Harry[/name_u] & [name_f]Meghan[/name_f], but I might not assume that they were patriotic Brits or necessarily supported the institution, if that makes sense.
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[quote=“readingreverie, post:1, topic:444667, full:true”]
In the last week I’ve really begun to fall back in love with the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], and I have many questions and curiosities surrounding it. I’ve separated this into a few different sections in hope that it will be a bit easier to read, as this is such a longwinded post!

1 - [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f], and its rank since her birth.

Of all the [name_u]Royal[/name_u] children born in the last 40 or so years, you mentioned two whose names rose in popularity - [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] and [name_m]Archie[/name_m]. You made no mention of [name_m]Peter[/name_m], [name_f]Zara[/name_f], [name_u]William[/name_u], [name_u]Harry[/name_u], [name_u]Louise[/name_u], [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], [name_f]Isla[/name_f], [name_f]Mia[/name_f], [name_u]George[/name_u], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Lena[/name_f], [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], [name_u]August[/name_u] or [name_f]Sienna[/name_f]. I would say more often than not, the use of a baby name by members of the [name_u]Royal[/name_u] family has not had an impact on the popularity of a name. I expect [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] and [name_m]Archie[/name_m] did because they names already aligned with the trends of the times.

I wonder if it’s perhaps because [name_f]Meghan[/name_f] and [name_u]Harry[/name_u] don’t have as positive of a public image than some of the other royals? Though, I suppose it could just be because the name was already so uncommon!

With it being so rare, I expect people would not want to do with all of the assumptions that they were copying [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f]. If you name your child something like [name_m]Archie[/name_m] or [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f], I don’t think others would instantly and automatically think “Royal Family.” If you name a child [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] at this point in time, people with think of [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f] as well as all the controversy around them.

2 - What vibes and imagery do you get from the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]?

I see someone who is light hearted but frivolous and a bit silly. The name seems childish to me. (I do think that is one of many reasons, the [name_f]Queen[/name_f] was known as [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] and not [name_f]Queen[/name_f] Lilibet.)

3 - How do you personally feel about the name [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f]?

It seems like baby talk to me (which is what it was - [name_f]Princess[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] could not say her name and pronounced it like this when she was toddler). It is a charming pet used by a parent or spouse but not one that would be taken seriously in the adult world. On the positive side, an adult with the name could easily drop the “-bet” part of her name.

4 - [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think of the name in a different light now that it’s been used by [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f]?

I wouldn’t like the name used as anything but a pet name regardless of who used it.

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ngl, this made me kinda sad, I do think Lilibeth is better, but Lilibet is also adorable and I would happily use it as a full name.

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[name_f]My[/name_f] 2 cents. To me [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] feels nicknamey, as someone else has mentioned, but not American nicknamey like [name_f]Sally[/name_f] or [name_u]Johnny[/name_u]. It feels almost like ‘putting on airs’

With that being said I actually think [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] is very cute.

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Lillibet was a nickname that [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] 2 had when she was a little girl because she couldnt say [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]. The only person to ever refer to her as that since she was an adult, other than her parents, wouldve been [name_u]Prince[/name_u] [name_m]Philip[/name_m]. Although it is also a real name with Hebrew origin, i just dont think it was a name anyone has heard of much in the past 80 or so years -i.e. anyone much younger than the queen. And i think it was a bit faux pas for harry and megan to use it really. But obviously fine for anyone else to. It is cute and becoming popular again now because of them. [name_m]Just[/name_m] dont follow it with the middle name [name_f]Meghan[/name_f]. Hahaha, jk

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I’ve been wondering why it was becoming popular because I thought it just came from [name_f]Queen[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f] not being able to say her own name when she was little?

Like it was super cute that my daughter used to say “apple-anche” for avalanche.

But like, those cutesy things… they’re just that, cutesy? If someone couldn’t pronounce the name ‘Christopher’ as a baby, and said something like ‘Kisspa’ instead, I wouldn’t then be like “oh that’s a cool name, I’m going to call my kid Kisspa!”.

I think it was a great choice for [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f], where it’s meaningful and goves nickname [name_f]Lily[/name_f] which is cute with [name_m]Archie[/name_m], but not so much for other people. So no, I don’t think the absence of super-popularity for [name_f]Lilibet[/name_f] necessarily reflects dislike of [name_u]Harry[/name_u] and [name_f]Meghan[/name_f]?

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