The list of the country’s most popular baby names for 2011, released Tuesday by the Social Security Administration, revealed that for new parents, God is in.
Among the top 10 names for baby boys, four are biblical. For girls, variations on biblical names were also popular, with Isabella (the Spanish version of Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s mother) Ava (a variation on Eve) and Abigail (an Old Testament character) making the top 10.
The Old Testament remains as a source of inspiration for parents today.
(Karen Bleier - AFP/Getty Images)
What is it that compels 21st century parents to name their kids after an Old Testament patriarch (in the case of Jacob) or the man credited with saving creation (thanks, Noah!) during the Great Flood?
Laura Wattenberg, creator of the Web site babynamewizard.com, told the Associated Press that it was the retro vibe of Hebrew Bible that appeals to parents today:
“The traditional biblical names were New Testament names — John, James and Mary and Elizabeth. . . . Today, the hot names are all names from the Old testament precisely because they were neglected for so many generations.”
The top 10 names for boys in 2011:
1. Jacob
2. Mason
3. William
4. Jayden
5. Noah
6. Michael
7. Ethan
8. Alexander
9. Aiden
10. Daniel
Matthew, a disciple and also the author of a Gospel, and Elijah, an Old Testament prophet, come in at 12 and 13.
The top 10 names for girls:
1. Sophia (a religious term for wisdom )
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Emily
7. Abigail
8. Madison
9. Mia
10. Chloe
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