Zara Tindall's untraditional name explained and the family member who suggested it
Zara Tindall's untraditional name came from an unlikely source and relates to the unexpected way she entered into the world


Zara Tindall's untraditional name was chosen by her uncle, Prince Charles, with whom she's said to have a very close bond. Her name is certainly unique compared to the rest of the clan, and that's all down to what it actually means.
- Zara Tindall's untraditional name is Greek and means Zara 'bright as the dawn.'
- Prince Charles suggested the name after she was born was 'rather sudden.'
- In other royal news, Queen makes historic change across UK in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee.
Zara Tindall's piercing revelation at Prince Charles' party put her in the ranks of royal rebels, shoulder to shoulder with other fine examples - like her darling mother.
The rambunctious Princess Anne's hilarious reaction to her attempted kidnapper cemented her status as a bit of a tough cookie. Do tough cookies stick to the status quo? Hell no.
Princess Anne’s engagement rings both broke royal protocol, and the name she chose for the first female of the Queen's grandchildren, broke with tradition too. Seemingly, according to the Princess Royal, the slightly alternative choice was suggested by her uncle Prince Charles.
Zara, Princess Anne's second baby, was born on May 15, 1981, at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. HELLO! reports that, according to Princess Anne, "The baby made a rather sudden and positive arrival, and my brother thought Zara (a Greek name meaning 'bright as the dawn') was an appropriate name." Considering Prince Philip's origins, the choice may also have been a slight nod to their Greek roots also.
Gatcombe Park's famous resident has always been known for her, 'stiff upper lip,' when it comes to many things. However, when Princess Anne opened up about a scary fall while pregnant, it revealed that she'd had some scares when she was expecting.
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Aoife is an Irish journalist and writer with a background in creative writing, comedy, and TV production.
Formerly woman&home's junior news editor and a contributing writer at Bustle, her words can be found in the Metro, Huffpost, Delicious, Imperica and EVOKE.
Her poetry features in the Queer Life, Queer Love anthology.
Outside of work you might bump into her at a garden center, charity shop, yoga studio, lifting heavy weights, or (most likely) supping/eating some sort of delicious drink/meal.