Most Popular Baby Names

Choosing your baby's name is one of the most important things you can do as a parent. I have many friends who have been scarred by the names their parents have given them. Have you thought about naming your child a cultural name? Those are popular today. I once met a girl with a traditional African name, Fisseha. It is a nice name, but imagine what she put up with in an American school as a young child! If a more traditional American name is more your style maybe you've considered naming your son Richard. That's a nice, solid, American name. Just remember, his friends will call him "Dick." This is harder than it looks!

This decision is so important that the Social Security Administration Department releases a list of the most popular names in America every year. Here are the results for 2010.

Some pop cultures appears on our list. I think the nation is disappointed in the ending of the Twilight novels, because Jacob and Isabella are the number one names in the nation. Jacob is always a top 10 name. Isabella is normally on the top 10 list of national names, and has been climbing in rank in the 2000s. I haven't seen Edward on the top ten list. Sorry Team Edward. Edward is currently #136.

Top 10 Arkansas Boy Names
1: William
2: Jacob
3: Elijah
4: James
5: Ethan
6: Jayden
7: Michael
8: Mason
9: Landon
10: Aiden

Top 10 Arkansas Girl Names
1: Emma
2: Isabella
3: Addison
4: Chloe
5: Madison
6: Emily
7: Abigail
8: Olivia
9: Ava
10: Sophia

Top 10 Nationwide Boy Names
1: Jacob
2: Ethan
3: Michael
4: Jayden
5: William
6: Alexander
7: Noah
8: Daniel
9: Aiden
10: Anthony

Top 10 Nationwide Girl Names
1: Isabelle
2: Sophia
3: Emma
4: Olivia
5: Ava
6: Emily
7: Abigail
8: Madison
9: Chloe
10: Mia