Meghan Markle is celebrating her 44th birthday on Monday, and like many people, will no doubt be feeling both happy and grateful. While birthdays are often filled with presents and well wishes, they are also a time to reflect on the past and times gone by, with many people often looking back towards their younger years.

For Meghan, this day will likely bring up a lot of fond memories thinking of her childhood, which actually saw the Duchess of Sussex go by a different name. This is because she wasn't actually given Meghan as first name at birth. Instead her parents decided to name her Rachel Meghan Markle.

Although the name Rachel may have been the one she used in her younger years, she has always been known just as Meghan Markle during her life in the public eye.

The duchess has never explained the reason behind this, but it is believed she may have chosen to be called Meghan Markle instead as it is more recognisable as a result of the alliteration.

This is not something Meghan has ever confirmed herself.

It is believed that Meghan has also always been referred to by this name rather than Rachel when it comes to her husband, Prince Harry, whom she has been married to for seven years.

Although Harry, 40, may call her Meghan, he usually refers to her by simply "M" - a nickname he is believed to have had for her since their early dating days.

Like Meghan, Harry also was not called the name he uses now at birth, something royal fans may have forgotten.

Instead, the prince was actually called Henry Charles Albert David at birth, and simply has gone by the name Harry as this is believed to be a more informal nickname derived from the name Henry.

It is believed Meghan has never used the name Henry with her husband, and instead commonly refers to him as "H".