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Emily, Jacob Are Top Baby Names

AP
Posted: 2008-05-11 17:33:17
Filed Under: Nation News
WASHINGTON (May 10) - Emily again topped the list of most popular baby girl names last year, registering as No. 1 for the 12th straight time. Jacob led among names for boys for the ninth year in a row.

New parents didn't stray far from past habits in 2007 when naming their babies. Only one name - Elizabeth - is new to the top-10 list, returning after a two-year absence. Samantha, which previously ranked 10th, dropped to No. 12, according to the latest list released Saturday by the Social Security Administration.

Biblical names continued to dominate the boys' list. Besides Jacob, other top picks for boys were Michael, Joshua and Matthew.

For girls, Isabella, Emma and Ava came after Emily, which has been the most popular female name since 1996.

Rounding out the top 10 for girls, in order, were Madison, Sophia, Olivia, Abigail, Hannah and Elizabeth.

The list for boys also includes Ethan, Daniel, Christopher, Anthony, William and Andrew.

Name experts have said the staying power of the top names may have something to do with appealing to multiple ethnic or religious groups and having no widespread negative connotations. Emily also has literary associations, including Emily Dickinson, evoking images of a woman who is both beautiful and smart, professors say.

For male twins, parents were most likely to combine Jacob with Joshua, Matthew with Michael and Daniel with David. The most popular combination for female twins was Ella and Emma.

Also popular in 2007 were names for girls that were based on spiritual and philosophical concepts. Rising to No. 31 was Nevaeh, or "heaven" spelled backwards; it previously ranked 43rd. Also represented in 2007 were Destiny (No. 41); Trinity (No. 72); Serenity (No. 126); Harmony (No. 315) and Miracle (No. 461). Cutting against the trend was Armani (No. 971).

Parents were less likely to name their sons based on spiritual concepts, although the 2007 list includes Sincere (No. 622) and Messiah (No. 723).

Social Security began compiling the name lists in 1997. The agency offers lists of baby names for each year since 1880 on the agency's Web site at http://www.socialsecurity.gov.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-05-10 17:55:50
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 1800
1800 comments

t3306 11:37:29 PM Jun 06 2008

MY NAME IS JOY AND PEOPLE LOVE MY NAME

shasam25 04:31:16 PM May 16 2008

I have two sister and three brothers...............................

shasam25 04:29:44 PM May 16 2008

MY NAME IS SAMANTHA

shasam25 04:28:34 PM May 16 2008

my name is SAMANTHA

jesskamarie02 11:05:08 PM May 15 2008

My sons name are Rhyder Max, Rhyin Mark and Rhyse Jacob. My Daughters name is Ramzie Dianna and Ryanna Nichoel.
My boys are tripletts and my girls are twins!!! Could not be happier to have them with some what common names but uncommon spellings

zeemcicle 07:53:31 PM May 15 2008

My name is Christine and my husbands name is Jason. And if we were ignorant and "colored", our kids names would be Jastine and Christon. And nobody betta aint AX me to repeat thur names! stupid white cracka's

chloestar86 03:06:53 PM May 15 2008

I have to repeat my daughter's name sometimes even spell it. Her name is Sophy. They say, "Oh, Sophia!" And I say no, sophy. "Oh sophie for short" No not for short it's Sophy. S-O-P-H-Y. I only know one other girl who has the same name as my daughter,

chloestar86 03:01:33 PM May 15 2008

Emily Dickinson was not beautiful! Have these people never been in an english class? She was a shut in with weird eyes. She never married so she must not have been that beautiful. Sure she was agreat writer and Emily is a very cute name, but she in history was not beautiful. Just my opinion.

jamesfallerjr 09:58:43 PM May 14 2008

I can't believe nobody mentioned the family that was in the papers a few years ago, the Day family named their little girl Zippitydooda. Not sure on the spelling, but the story is true.

maddawg1245 02:53:37 PM May 14 2008

I AWAYS THINK IT IS FUNNY AT SOME OF THE NAMES BLACK PEOPLE GIVE THEIR KIDS. IT SEEMS ANYTHING GOES . PUT "TINA" ON THE END OF ANYTHING AND ITS A NAME.

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1800 comments

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