Most Popular Girl Baby Names in 2008

Top Name for Girls is Emma, Followed By Isabella and Emily

May 26, 2009 Mia Carter

Wondering what baby names for girls were popular in 2008? The Social Security Administration released this list of the most popular names for babies.

Each year, the United States Social Security Administration releases a list of the most popular baby names.

In 2008, the most popular name for girls was Emma, which rose from the number three spot in 2007.

Notably, the top three baby names for girls in 2008 – Emma, Isabella and Emily – have remained the same from 2007, though the position of two of the names has changed. In 2007, the most popular name was Emily, followed by Isabella and Emma.

The Most Popular Baby Names for Girls in 2008

Wondering what were the top names for girls in 2008? Parents of baby girls born in 2008 favored the following baby names, making them the most popular for baby girls.

1. Emma
2. Isabella
3. Emily
4. Madison
5. Ava
6. Olivia
7. Sophia
8. Abigail
9. Elizabeth
10. Chloe

The distinct trend in the popular girl baby names of 2008 is the addition of "y" in place of "i," and "e," like in Madelyn (number 63), Layla (number 55), Makayla (number 37), and Ashlyn (number 153.)

Changes in the Most Popular Baby Names List

Compare the list of most popular baby names for girls in 2008 to the previous year's list and it reveals little change in the names near the top of the list.

In 2007, the top ten most popular girls names were as follows, with the name's popularity in 2008 also noted:

1. Emily (Number 3 in 2008)
2. Isabella (Number 2 in 2008)
3. Emma (Number 1 in 2008)
4. Ava (Number 5 in 2008)
5. Madison (Number 4 in 2008)
6. Sophia (Number 7 in 2008)
7. Olivia (Number 6 in 2008)
8. Abigail (Number 8 in 2008)
9. Hannah (Number 17 in 2008)
10. Elizabeth (Number 9 in 2008)

The Social Security Administration's list of most popular baby names for 2008 also reveals a few names that where perhaps driven in popularity due to popular culture, like the 127th most popular girls name, Miley (Miley Cyrus, a.k.a. Hannah Montana) and the 146th most popular name for baby girls, Marley (the film and book Marley and Me).

Picking a Popular Baby Name

Selecting a baby name can be a long process with much debate and a name's popularity (or lack thereof) is often one of the main points of contention between an expecting couple.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to selecting a popular name over a less common or downright unique name.

Expecting parents may consider some of the following benefits when debating the merits of a popular baby name:

• Popular names, with a common spelling, are less likely to be misspelled or mispronounced, thereby eliminating the potential for the annoyance and even embarrassment that can result from having the name "messed up."
• A child with a popular name is unlikely to be subject to taunting as a result of having a "weird" or unusual name.
• In childhood, when most children just want to "fit in," a popular name can make a child feel "just like everyone else."

There are also some disadvantages associated with selecting a popular baby name. It can be confusing for a child – particularly a young child in a group setting – when she's surrounded by many other children with the same name. A unique name ensures that only one child will come running when you summon her from across the playground.

Less common names can make it easier for a child to develop a sense of individuality; it can be difficult for a child to feel "unique" when she's one of five girls named "Hannah" in her classroom.

One middle-ground baby naming solution involves selecting a common name with an uncommon spelling, like "Rylee" (number 116) instead of "Riley" or "Kathryn" (number 190) instead of "Katherine." Though the one downside to this option is the potential for frequent misspellings throughout the child's life.

The Social Security's Most Popular Baby Names List

Each year, the Social Security Administration compiles its list of the most popular baby names based on Social Security card applications for babies born in the United States in 2008.

Notably, the list does not combine various spellings of the same name. The popular baby names list for 2008 includes Chloe (number 10) and Khloe (number 196), along with Mackenzie (number 65), Mckenzie (number 151), and Makenzie (number 162.)

For expecting parents who are looking for the perfect baby name, the Social Security Administration's website features useful tools to help parents determine the popularity of a baby name.

Parents can search popular baby names by year and by gender. This can be helpful during the search for a good baby name, particularly for parents who are searching for an "old fashioned" name, as the site allows visitors to view baby name lists from decades past.

The website also features a fun tool that allows expecting parents to track the popularity of a particular baby name. Enter the baby name and the site will generate a view of a baby name's popularity over time.

Related Articles on Baby Names

Wondering what boys names topped the "most popular" list for 2008? Read Most Popular Boy Baby Names in 2008.

Readers may also enjoy Top Girl Baby Names of 2007 and Top Boy Baby Names of 2007.

The copyright of the article Most Popular Girl Baby Names in 2008 in Infants & Toddlers is owned by Mia Carter. Permission to republish Most Popular Girl Baby Names in 2008 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Emma is the Most Popular Girl Baby Name in 2008

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