Naming your baby is an important task. It can also be one of the most stressful activities that you have to do while you are pregnant. Everyone, of course, has their opinions and their suggestions, but ultimately it is up to a baby’s parents to decide on the baby’s name.

When trying to find the perfect name, parents often rely on a variety of factors. These can include:

- Sound and compatibility. How do the baby names sound together? Is there a definite rhythm or flow to the name? is there a sing-songiness that you might want to avoid?

- Uniqueness. Many people want their children to have a name that stands out from the crowd. This can be done by an alternate spelling or even by inventing your own name!

- Honor naming. You may wish to name your baby in honor of a relative or friend. Many people choose the middle name for this task.

- Ancestry and heritage. You may wish to give your son your husband’s name; it may even be the same name of the first-born male in the family for several generations. Many times people choose to use mom’s maiden name as the child’s middle name.

- Meaning. Each name has a meaning. Robert, for example, means “shining fame.” Stockard, on the other hand, means “from the yard of tree stumps.” You may select a name based on its meaning.

- Initials and nicknames. Be aware of how other children may one day turn your child’s name into a derogatory term.

Remember, none of these are hard or fast rules. The most important criterion for a name is simply that you and your partner like it.

Finally, here are some popular names from the last century or so:

Top 10 Baby Names of 2004
Girls’ Names
Emma
Madison
Emily
Kaitlyn
Hailey
Olivia
Isabella
Hannah
Sarah
Abigail

Boys’ Names
Jacob
Aidan
Ethan
Ryan
Matthew
Michael
Tyler
Joshua
Nicholas
Connor

1970′s Most Popular Names
Girls’ Names
Jennifer
Lisa
Kimberly
Michelle
Angela
Maria
Amy
Melissa
Mary
Tracy

Boys’ Names
Michael
David
John
James
Robert
Christopher
William
Mark
Richard
Brian

1880′s Most Popular Names
Girls’ Names
Mary
Anna
Elizabeth
Margaret
Minnie
Emma
Martha
Alice
Marie
Annie, Sarah

Boys’ Names
John
William
Charles
George
James
Joseph
Frank
Henry
Thomas
Harry

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