The Top Baby Names For 2010

The Social Security Administration recently announced the most popular baby names in California for babies born in 2010. Isabella and Jacob, the names of two the famed Twilight characters (werewolf and human, respectively), topped the list. 

The top five girls and boys names for babies born in 2010 in California were:

Sophia

How does California compare to the rest of the country? The top five boys and girls names for children born in the U.S. in 2010 are:

                                                                                *Royal Wedding fans, perhaps?

An interesting feature of Social Security’s baby names Web site is the “Change in Name Popularity” page. Pop culture had a significant influence in the rise of popularity of some names in 2010. This year’s winners for biggest jump in popularity in the Top 500 are related to each other, according to a Social Security news release. Maci and Bentley had the biggest jumps in popularity--Maci Bookout and her infant son, Bentley, were prominently featured on the show Teen Mom and its predecessor, 16 and Pregnant. 

Twilight fandom continues as the second fastest rising name on the boys’ list is Kellan, the name of actor Kellan Lutz, best known for his role of Emmett Cullen in the Twilight films. Third fastest rising name on the boys’ list is Knox, one of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s toddler twins. Thankfully, the name Brangelina hasn’t garnered popularity for baby names.

In regards to girls’ names, Tiana, the name of the main character in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog and Disney’s first African-American princess, is one of the biggest chart hoppers, pardon the pun.

In addition to each state’s top 100 baby names, Social Security’s Web site has a list of the 1,000 most popular boys’ and girls’ names for 2010 and a list of the top 100 names for twins born in 2010. The Web site also offers lists of baby names for each year since 1880. 

Travel back in time and see what baby names were most popular for children born in the U.S. in 1911, when the Eagle Rock neighborhood was first incorporated as a city:

Did you or someone you know name their child a popular baby name in 2010? Did you or someone you know name a baby born last year after something pop culture-related? What do you think of the most popular names in 2010 for the U.S. and California and those from 1911?