The Sentimental Meaning Behind Bindi Irwin's Daughter Grace's Name

After years of struggling with endometriosis, conservationist and TV personality Bindi Irwin wasn't sure she'd ever have children. So it was a very special moment when Bindi and her husband, Chandler Powell, discovered she was pregnant in 2020. "It was one of the most joyful experiences I've ever had," Bindi told The Bump in 2021 during her pregnancy. "Once I told him we were both completely speechless and crying tears of happiness. ... In a matter of seconds, our daughter became the center of our universe."

There have been many steps along the way in Bindi Irwin's complete transformation, and her pregnancy and journey into motherhood were yet another milestone. However, she and Powell didn't rush to put a label on their precious newborn. "We are waiting to meet her before we decide on a name," Bindi continued. "We want to hold her and make sure the name that we choose fits her perfectly." She revealed that though they hadn't made a final decision yet, she and her husband were looking through their family trees for ideas. "Once she arrives, I think we'll know exactly what to name her," she said.

Bindi later confessed to Hello! in 2023 that they'd had a few contenders in mind. "We actually talked about 'Daisy' for a long time in honor of our darling alligator at Australia Zoo. However, when Grace was born, my first words as I held her in my arms were that she's our 'graceful warrior'. Chandler and I immediately knew that should be her name." While this decision may have been spur-of-the-moment, it certainly wasn't shallow; on the contrary, it held deep meaning for the Irwin family. As Bindi explained, "The name Grace Warrior suits our daughter perfectly and feels like the perfect way to honour the greatest Wildlife Warrior to have ever lived, my dad."

When the time finally came to officially name their new daughter, Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell leaned into monikers with family ties. As Bindi explained on Instagram, "Grace is named after my great-grandmother and relatives in Chandler's family dating back to the 1700s. Her middle names, Warrior Irwin, are a tribute to my dad and his legacy."

Bindi's father, Steve Irwin, was a famed wildlife expert known as the "Crocodile Hunter" and beloved for his enthusiastic nature shows. Sadly, he passed away in 2006 after being stung by a venomous stingray, but he has remained an icon to both the public and his family. Speaking to Hello!, Bindi explained how Warrior represents her dad's conservationist spirit. "My dad first came up with the term 'Wildlife Warrior' many years ago. He wrote it in big letters and stuck it up on his desk. It perfectly describes our family, our mission, and who we are at the very core."

It's only natural that Bindi, who now helps run the Australia Zoo with her mother and brother, would choose this meaningful name for her child — simultaneously celebrating her family's greatest passion while memorializing her father, who would have adored his granddaughter. As Bindi told The Bump, "My dad would have been the best grandfather. I always joke that if he was still here, we'd never see our baby because he'd take her on all kinds of adventures!" Of course, it's important to Bindi that her daughter can feel a connection to her grandfather — a task made easier with all the iconic documentaries and nature specials Steve Irwin featured in. "I think she'll love getting to watch footage of Dad working with all kinds of animals and learning about his legacy," Bindi said.

Memorial names can come with a heavy weight of expectation. But while Bindi Irwin recognizes her father's spirit in young Grace Warrior, she wants her daughter to blaze her own trail. "I can't wait to experience the magic of the world all over again through her eyes. Watching her grow and find her own passions in life will be such a gift," Bindi told The Bump. "My hope for her through life is that she follows her heart to do what she loves. She's going to be the most beautiful light in this world; it's a blessing that I'll get to support her on the journey that she chooses to take."

Of course, that journey may still lead Grace to join the family cause at the Australia Zoo. Bindi Irwin's daughter, Grace, is enjoying a fun, free-range childhood and seems to share her grandfather's natural affinity for animals. "Grace has empathy for all species and a genuine appreciation for our Earth," Bindi told Hello!. "It makes my heart happy seeing her admire an ant, gently pat a koala, or try to feed a tiny tortoise with her spoon. She's such a strong girl with a real softness towards the natural world."

Wherever her daughter's path someday leads her, Bindi is just happy to love and support her along the way — a close relationship that shines through in the many sweet pics of Bindi Irwin and her wild-child daughter, Grace. "For us personally, we feel so lucky to have Grace," Bindi told People in 2023. "I think that every day I wake up and I look at our beautiful daughter and think she is our tiny little miracle."