I found it very interesting researching the top 100 baby names for this article, because although my husband and I thought we were going for unique baby names during my pregancy, both our daughters' names are on the list! I guess we are not as innovative as we thought we were.
Every year, the US Social Security Administration compiles a list of the most popular baby names. You can search their online database for the popularity of a certain name, and you can also see how the popularity of a name has changed over time. (http://www.ssa.gov/) It's a very interesting way to waste an hour instead of working (lol).
It is fun to note that the letter "E" is quite popular. Common "E" names in the top 10 of the top 100 baby names are: Emily, Emma, Ethan and Elizabeth. It seems that slightly old-fashioned, or traditional, names are making a comeback as well, with names like William, Joseph, and Christopher for boys, and Elizabeth, Abigail, Hannah and Grace for girls.
However, "new age" or modern names are also in the 100 top baby names with babies' names such as: Tyler, Brandon, Logan, Austin, Hunter and Cody (for boys) and Briana, Kayla, Chloe, Hailey, Jasmine, Destiny and Makayla (for girls).
Jacob and Emily are the number one most popular names for a few years in a row.
It's always important to imagine what your baby's initials or nickname will be. My mother's friend was shocked when she was pregnant because her last name was Cole, and she wanted to name her baby Nathan Kingsley, but everyone said that he would be nicknamed Nat King Cole!
I also recommend imagining what your baby's email address will be. My initials are sdi and my email is sdingram@. You need to be aware that your baby's email could be dumb@ or fat@; just something to keep in mind.
Whether you are looking into babies names because you want to go with the pack and make sure your baby's name is common and amongst the more popular, or you are the opposite and you want to make sure your baby's name is innovative and original, be sure to check out the top 100 baby names so that you can ensure the name you want is there (or not!).
About the Author
Suzanne Doyle-Ingram is the mother of two daughters, Hana and Alexa, and married to her best friend James, who is a stay-at-home dad and educational game developer (and he makes a mean grilled chicken!). Visit her website at http://www.pregnancy-leads-to-new-babies.com/work-from-home-mom.html.