BabyCenter® Has Made its List and Checked it Twice, Revealing the Top Baby Names of 2010

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 2, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- BabyCenter®, the #1 pregnancy and parenting destination worldwide, today released the results of its annual Baby Names Survey and the Top 100 Baby Names of 2010. Based on the names of more than 350,000 babies born in 2010 to moms registered on the BabyCenter website, Aiden tops the boys' list for the sixth consecutive year while Sophia takes the number one spot on the girls' list away from Isabella. Also making their mark on this year's list are a number of pop culture influences, which BabyCenter has dubbed the Glee Effect, Mad Men Madness, and Disney Princess Magic.  This year's list also takes note of two new influencers, sports and politics, with The Olympics and the Palins providing inspiration to many.  Additionally, the research shows more modern names for boys becoming increasingly popular this year, even as parents continue to choose classic names for girls.

Using its unique name-preference algorithm, BabyCenter also offers its own picks for the growing number of pregnant celebrities and their soon-to-be headliners. In addition, BabyCenter took a look at the movers and shakers on this year's list, current baby-naming trends, and pop culture influences to predict which names will be hot in 2011 and beyond.

BabyCenter's Top 100 Baby Names list combines names that sound the same but have different spellings, making it a true measure of baby name popularity. The website conducts its Baby Names Survey every year to give parents-to-be a deep dive into the psychology and trends surrounding baby naming. BabyCenter's survey reveals interesting insights, including the fact that although 34% of moms say they hate a friend or family member's baby name, 90% of them would never tell. And 1 out of 3 moms used her mobile phone to decide on a name, whether by browsing the Internet for inspiration (27%) or texting baby name ideas to others (15%).

Pop Culture's Influence in 2010

Top pop culture influences this year include the TV series Glee, with the character names Finn and Quinn on a meteoric rise, and Mad Men, with seemingly old-fashioned names like Betty soaring in popularity. Moms seem to be as enchanted by the Disney princesses as their daughters are, with names like Demi and Tiana rising in popularity.

Two surprising new trends for 2010 come from very different sources. On the heels of the recent Winter Olympics, the names Bode, Shaun, and Apollo all made significant jumps in the rankings. And with the Palin family grabbing news headlines almost every day, the names Bristol, Willow, and Piper are all trending up. 

"Thirty-six percent of BabyCenter moms say they find name inspiration in famous people and characters.  This is the first time we've seen parents really own up to the influence of pop culture," says Linda Murray, BabyCenter editor in chief. "Celebrities are our royalty, and consciously or unconsciously, parents want a bit of that shine to rub off on their kids."

Looking ahead

BabyCenter has analyzed the names grew the most in popularity. Though you won't find them on this year's top 10 list, keep an eye out for this unusual bunch as they make their way up the rankings in 2011 and beyond!

Celebrity Baby Boom

These days, you can't pick up a magazine or turn on the TV without seeing news about celebrities who are expecting a baby. To help these famous moms- and dads-to-be pick great names, BabyCenter came up with suggestions based on the preference technology in BabyCenter's Baby Name Explorer. (Plug in a name and get suggestions for other names you might like or compatible sibling names.)

What's in a Name?

In addition to compiling the list of Top 100 Baby Names of 2010, BabyCenter surveyed more than 2,000 moms in November 2010 to better understand trends in baby naming. Overall, according to the survey, the attributes of kindness and compassion, leadership, and good looks are becoming more important when choosing a name for both boys and girls. While strength is the top quality moms seek in boy names (68%), kindness and compassion is the top quality (64%) moms look for in girls' names.  Choosing a child's name is considered one of the most important tasks for a parent-to-be, and one that is not taken lightly. Most parents (62%) believe that a child's name contributes to his or her success in life.  

For more information on BabyCenter's 2010 baby name insights, trends, and online tools for finding your ideal baby name, please visit http://www.babycenter.com/special-report-baby-names.

With 1 in 4 babies in the United States born to Hispanic moms, BabyCenter did a deep dive into influences and trends among the Hispanic population.  In 2010, original names ruled for Hispanic baby boys, and the names were clearly influenced by video games. Three new boys' names in the Top 100 are tied to popular games: Mario (Super Mario Bros), Marcos (Gears of War), and Dante (Devil May Cry). The name Axel (Guitar Hero) jumped up 24 positions. For Hispanic girls, green is the new pink. Names tied to natural elements either burst into the Top 100 list for the first time or surged in popularity: Rocio (morning dew), Paloma (dove), Violeta (violet), Fiorella (little flower in Italian), Diana (goddess of hunting and associated with forests), Aitana (name of a mountain range in Spain), and Delfina (related to dolphin). A strong Italian influence has also been identified in Hispanic baby names this year for both boys and girls.

For a complete list of the top 100 Hispanic baby names, please visit: http://espanol.babycenter.com/pregnancy/nombres/populares-2010/

To see the trends in Hispanic baby names, please visit: http://espanol.babycenter.com/pregnancy/nombres/tendencias-2010/  

About BabyCenter®, LLC

BabyCenter® is the voice of the 21st Century Mom® and modern motherhood. It's the #1 pregnancy and parenting destination worldwide, reaching more than 8 million moms monthly in the U.S. and more than 20 million moms monthly in 22 markets from Australia to India to China. In the United States, 7 in 10 babies born last year were BabyCenter babies. BabyCenter is the world's partner in parenting, providing moms everywhere with trusted advice from hundreds of experts around the globe, friendship with other moms like them, and support that's remarkably right at every stage of their child's development. BabyCenter also works with some of the world's most prominent brands and institutions to provide life-stage marketing solutions and a direct line to highly engaged moms. BabyCenter is a member of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies.

SOURCE BabyCenter, LLC