Top Baby Names for 2010

For years Emily and Jacob have reigned as the top baby names. Emily has been in the top ten since 1992 and was number one for 12 years until Isabella edged to the top in 2007. Jacob continues to be a top pick and has been our favorite boy name since 1999. Other names still popular in 2010 include Michael, Ethan, and Joshua for boys and Madison, Abigail, and Emma for girls.

Climbers 2010 has introduced two newcomers to the throne: Sophia and Aiden. For over a decade, Sophia has risen in popularity each year, Aiden has risen to the top with leaps and bounds from a ranking of 324 in 2000, to the 50th most popular name in 2005, and number one for boys in 2010. Other baby name royalty climbing in popularity include Addison, Olivia, and Charlotte for girls, and Jayden, Oliver, and Liam for boys. Drop Outs Names that started to fall out of favor in 2010 include some of the unisex names that have been so popular this decade, such as Cameron, Avery, Taylor, and Lauren. Other names losing their luster are Brianna, Morgan, and Jasmine for girls, and Gavin, Brandon, and Cole for boys.

Vintage Names

The old was new again in 2010 as our grandparents' names became cool. Millie, Adelaide, Hazel, and Dorothy were given to our daughters, and our sons were named Henry, Cyrus, Leo, and Walt. Stars like Betty White and Lily Tomlin, as well as characters like Don Draper and Harry Potter also brought back some oldies but goodies.

Popular Culture

Every year, the shows and movies we like to watch influence our baby names. Pop favorites this year include some already mentioned, as well as Levi, Grayson, Samantha, and Grace. Our fascination with vampires and teen moms brought out names for girls like Sookie, Bella, Maci, and Catelynn.

Celebrity Picks

Of course, we always look to celebrities for trends and 2010 was no different. Famous babies received names that ranged from cutting edge to nostalgic: Gia Francesca, Louis Bardo, Stella Zavala, Cosima Violet, Abel James, Molly June, Krishna Thea, Mae Elizabeth, Egypt Daoud, Noah James, Adalynn Rose, Carina Rose, Julio Fuego, and Harper Renn, to name a few.

As we look ahead to 2011 who knows what names lay in wait to enchant us? Some sources say that names like Martina, Eloise, Scarlett, and Nora are on the rise for girls, and for boys it's Hudson, Bently, Caden, and Lennon. Time, and the Social Security Administration, will tell.