Popular Baby Names

Popular baby names - a wise choice?

Many of these names have captured our hearts; they are familiar and accepted, they've taken root over time, and we love 'em!

Before you begin thinking about which name to choose, let's take the view from above and acquaint ourselves with the comforting proof of statistics.

Maybe you're not sure if you should you give your baby a name that is shared by so many... and what are those names anyway?

Emma - or Chloe? Review the US top 10 Whizz through the current US top 100 names Check out selected pearls from the top 1000 Spice up the mix with hot names from other countries Consider the pros and cons of choosing a popular name

Names for babies in the United States

Here they are:

Top ten girls' names 2008

1. Emma
2. Isabella
3. Emily
4. Madison
5. Ava
6. Olivia
7. Sophia
8. Abigail
9. Elizabeth
10. Chloe

Check out what's been going on rankings-wise in the top ten baby names for girls 2008.

Top ten boys' names 2008

1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Alexander
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Christopher
10. Matthew

Find out more about the top 10 baby names for boys.

The top 100 names
Here you'll discover:

• who features in the 2008 fully updated top 100 baby name list
• what these stats mean for you
• what's hot in girls' names
• which boys are the movers and shakers

Top 1000 names in the US 2008
My pick of the most interesting names from the top 1000 includes place names, fastest movers, geographical references, an amazing batch of names such as Melody, Sincere and Essence... as well as boys and girls sharing the same name within the top 1000. Tons of inspiration here.

Top twin names 2008
Find a host of twin name suggestions here.

Irish names

Sean, James - or Cian?

Irish names are growing in popularity. Those babies have got it all - or at least their names have - in terms of personality, romance, a dash of charm and an air of distinctiveness!

The most popular Irish names contain a mixture of familiar favorites and exotic surprises; From Jack and John to Cathal or Oran. Emma, Ella, Emily... yes, they're popular, but what about some of the real pearls hiding in these lists?

I check out the top Irish names from 2008 including a selection of names from the top 100.

The most popular girls' Irish names

The most popular boys' Irish names

United Kingdom baby names 2008

Jessica or Jack?

Want to find popular names from the UK? Well, the results for 2008 are out!

In England and Wales there is a new queen of the rankings - Olivia. The king? He stays the same - Jack's at number one for the fourteenth year in a row!

England and Wales form only one part of the UK stats; Scotland and Northern Ireland also produce figures for their most popular names. Find out what's going on here:

The top ten UK girls' names
England and Wales combined, plus Scotland and Northern Ireland's top ten.

The UK top ten names for boys
Again, the combined results for England and Wales, along with 2008 results for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

There are no separate stats just for England; but there are for Wales! Find out what the most popular Welsh names are for babies in 2007 - stay tuned for the 2008 stats, I'm just hunting them down ;)

The pros and cons of a popular name

• Will it stand the test of time?
• Will my child think it is boring?
• Will I regret my decision?
• Is it really a good idea?

Time to check out...

Popular names - the advantages

And the disadvantages? - read more!