"What's in a Name?": Popular Baby Names have Celtic, Greek and Biblical Origins

When your parents picked out the perfect name for you, it may have been to describe your personality, look or sense of style. However, at only a few hours old, it's unlikely. It might have had more to do with the popularity of certain names during that time period. However, a new study suggests that many parents aren't necessarily searching for a popular name. They're just looking to find something well-liked, but not overused.

In the 1880s, about 40 percent of boys received one of the top 10 popular names in the United States. However, by 2010, fewer than 10 percent of newborn boys got one of the 10 most popular names.

The study shows that the trend holds even further down the list: Until the mid-1900s, half of girls got one of the 50 most popular names in the United States. Today, only about 25 percent get one of those names.

However, throughout the past several years, a few names have remained at the top of the list for several years. Here are some of them.

1.)   JACOB: With information regarding naming data from the Social Security Administration, this name hit its peak in the 1990s, when 7,403 per every million babies were named Jacob.  

2.)   SOPHIA: This name has been ranked in the top 10 marks for names for several years, and was even rated as the No. 1 name for girls in 2011. In 2010, 5,151 babies per every million were named Sophia, and an alternate spelling of the same name can be used to switch the "ph" with an "f."

3.)   MASON: This name hit No. 2 in 2011 and jumped faster to that rank than just the year before.

4.)   ISABELLA: The introduction of the "Twilight" series certainly hasn't hurt this name. With a Spanish origin, the name hit the No. 1 spot in 2007.

5.)   WILLIAM: In recent years, this name has ranked No. 3 among boy names. However, Live Science notes that in the 1880s, "practically everyone was named William," as 36,770 out of every million babies received this name.

6.)   JAYDEN: This is one of the popular names that is completely new to make record-breaker history. But popular celebrities like Will Smith and Britney Spears have helped set the trend, naming their kids "Jaden" without the "y." In 2009, the name hit the No. 4 slot.

7.)   OLIVIA: This has been noted as a popular choice for baby girls names for quite some time. The name was used throughout the 20^th century. It climbed from No. 195 in the 1980s to No. 20 by 1999, and broke the top 10 in 2001.

8.)   NOAH: This biblical name became popular in recent years, breaking to the top 10 in 2009. 

The findings for the study are published online in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.