Top Baby Names The Our365 EditorsEach day, Our365's Baby Namescape updates its list of top baby names as picked by parents at the thousands of hospitals nationwide served by our Newborn Photographers. Baby Namescape users can search top baby names by state, city and hospital. Top Baby Names 2008 is a selection of winners from hospitals around the country. Girls' NamesClick here for Boys' NamesA Names Aaliyah - became extremely popular in the 90's after award winning singer and actress Aaliyah went multiplatinum. The name shares roots in different languages: In Hebrew it means "rising, ascending," in Arabic "high" and "sublime," and in African Aaliyah signifies "rising." Grammy nominated country singer Jamie O'Neal named her daughter Aaliyah in 2003. Abigail - comes from the Hebrew for "her father's joy," making it a popular name among dads. In the '50s, when Pauline Esther Friedman Phillips decided to use the pen name Abigail for her Dear Abby advice column, it had already started to slowly climb the charts. By 2007, the name, often shortened to Abby, ranked number eight in the U.S.Addison - used to be a popular name for boys; Chicago Cubs fans liked its association with baseball (the Cubs' Wrigley Field is on Addison Street). An English name meaning "son of Adam," it has become more popular for girls since the mid-'90s, and by 2006 was 27th in the U.S. girls' name rankings. Now, with Addison Forbes Montgomery returning next season as a leading character on the hit TV show "Private Practice," we might be seeing a flurry of baby Addisons in the near future.Aiden - would be perfect for a rambunctious boy or girl - it means "little fiery one." This Celtic name was once popular only in Ireland. It finally made the U.S. rankings in the '90s and then shot right up the charts; in 2006, it was ranked 30 for boys in this country (Aiden is also used for girls). Traditionally spelled Aidan, the name has a number of variations, including Ayden, Aden and Aydan. In 2003, Olympic Gold Medal figure skater Scott Hamilton named his first son Aidan McIntosh. Aja - was popular during the early 1980s, when the Steely Dan album of that name and its title song were still getting plenty of play. Even in the '90s, Crash Test Dummies drummer Mitch Dorge, a big Steely Dan fan, named his daughter Aja Louise. The name has origins in sub-Saharan Africa, where in one African language it means "high priestess of Mecca," and in India, where it's a boy's name meaning "goat," from the Sanskrit for "love of Vishnu." Alexis - has its origins in Russia and ancient Greece. The name, a feminine form of Alexander or Alexius, means "protector or defender of men." Alexis was made popular in the 1980s by the character Alexis Carrington on the show "Dynasty." Alixandria - adds a quirky twist to the girl's name Alexandria, which in turn is a variant of the classic Alexandra, which is the feminine of Alexander. All four names go back to the ancient Egyptian city founded by Alexander the Great. Alixandria is all-around high-class. Besides harking back to the great city, it also draws on the unisex name Alix, which comes from the German for "noble" and was the nickname of Russian empress Alice Alexandra. Anahi - is a short form of the Persian Anahita, a mythological water goddess known as "the immaculate one" - which is where Anahi gets its meaning of "chaste." Maybe because of its exotic sound, the name has risen quickly in popularity since first hitting the charts in the late 1990s. Last year in the U.S., it was the 328th most popular name for girls. Angel - comes from the Greek name Angelos, the "messenger from God." It's a unisex name that's more commonly used for boys in Spanish-speaking communities and for girls in English-speaking ones. A very popular name in movies and on television, as well as in real life, Angel was ranked 32nd overall in 2007. Arianna - is an Italian variation of the Greek Ariadne, the mythological character who is the basis for the lost opera "L'Arianna" by Claudio Monteverdi. Arianna means "most holy," and there are many variations, including the two most common, Ariana and Arynna. Some nicknames are Ani, Ana and Ari (the lead singer of British punk band The Slits, Arianna Forster, still goes by the stage name Ari Up). Singer Marc Anthony named his first daughter Arianna in 1994, while record executive L.A. Reid named his daughter Ariana Manuelle in 2001. Armani - is a very rare first name - in fact, it's best known in connection with the high-fashion line created by Italian designer Giorgio Armani. As a first name, it's more popular for boys but can be used for girls, too. Armani has several different origins with different meanings. In Germany and Italy, it means "free man" and in Africa, as a derivative of the name Imani, it means "faith." Autumn - is an English name meaning "born in fall" which is why it's a favorite of fall-baby parents. It first made the rankings in the '70s, around the same time Jermaine Jackson named his daughter Autumn. Since then the name has risen in popularity, reaching a ranking of 91st most popular name for girls in the U.S. last year. It also turns out to be popular for bands: There are Russian, Dutch and American pop groups called Autumn. Ava - possibly a variation on the medieval names Avis or Aveline, or a play on Eva - means "like a bird." Fans of the movie star Ava Gardner started naming their baby girls Ava in the '50s, and in the past decade it's become a top-ten name. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe named their first child Ava Elizabeth in 1999. Bailey - has French and English roots. It means "Bailiff or Steward" and was originally a surname for people in those professions. These days, the name Bailey is a popular girl's name - especially in Australia. B NamesBrittany - was one of the most popular girls names in the U.S. during the '80s and '90s. Having come out of nowhere around 1970, it catapulted to number 3 in 1990. In this century, though, it quickly dropped in the ratings, along with Chelsea and other place names - Britanny, meaning "from Britain," is the name of a region in northern France. While this is the most popular spelling for the name, variations exist; including Britney (as in Britney Spears), Brittnee and Britnie. Brooke - is an English name - it comes from "brook" or "stream," making it a lovely thing to call a babbling baby! This popular name ranked 44th for girls in the U.S. in 2006 and is receiving extra attention today with the rise of pop singer and reality TV star Brooke Hogan. Brookie and Brookster are two of the cute nicknames a Brooke can go by.Brooklyn - is a fusion of the names Brooke and Lynn. It's also one of several city names - like Savannah, London and Kingston - that have become hot for babies. The New York City borough of Brooklyn was named after the Dutch town of Breukelen, meaning "water or stream." After the English took over the region in the 1600s, they gradually altered the spelling. Brooklyn has steadily climbed in popularity for girls since the 1990s - but in 1999, British celebrities David and Victoria Beckham gave the name to their first son.C Names Cameron - is best known today in connection with actress Cameron Diaz, but the name was originally used for boys -among them, "Jerry Maguire" director Cameron Crowe. The name's roots are in Scotland, where it's been in the top ten for boys since the '90s - in Gaelic, it means "crooked nose." It's quite popular in the U.S., too - in 2007 it was ranked 50th for boys and 62nd for babies of both sex. Chyanne - is an unusual variant of Cheyenne, which comes from the capital city of Wyoming and the Native American tribe of that region. Currently ranked 171 among girls' names in the U.S., Cheyenne has been losing popularity since the mid-1990s, possibly as parents pick this unique spelling instead. D Names Daphne - was a mythological Greek nymph who was turned into a laurel tree to protect her from Apollo, who had become infatuated with her after being hit with Eros's arrow. That's why the name means "laurel." Among the several well known women writers with the name is Daphne de Maurier, who wrote the original short story on which Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" was based. Destiny - was among New York City's top ten names for African-American girls in 2006 - possibly inspired by the hit R&B singing group Destiny's Child. With roots in the Latin word "destinare," which means "to determine," the name Destiny belonged to the ancient Greek god of fate. Destiny Hope Cyrus is the birth name of Billy Ray Cyrus's famous daughter, now known as Miley. E Names Emily - has been the most popular girls' name in the U.S. for the past 10 years. This classic name comes from the Latin "industrious," while in English it means "to strive" or "excel." Some first-middle name pairings chosen by celeb parents are Emily Marie (picked by Gloria Estefan) and Emily Grace (Alex Trebeck's choice). Two notable literary Emilys are poet Emily Dickinson and author Emily Bronte.Emma - is one of those classic names that have skyrocketed in popularity. The name has a Victorian-era feel - Emma is the heroine in Jane Austen's famous 19th-century novel. Deriving from the German and Danish for "universal," Emma is big in Germany and even hotter in the U.S.; after ranking third for girls from 2003 to 2006, today it's number one on the Our365 charts. G Names Gabrielle - the female form of the boy's name Gabriel (in the Bible, the archangel who foretold the news of Jesus's birth), is a French name meaning "Heroine of God." It comes from the Hebrew, "God is my might." The famous French fashion designer Coco Chanel's real first name was Gabrielle. Nowadays, Gabrielles are often nicknamed Gaby or Ella. Genesis - best known as the name of the first book of the Bible, comes from the Hebrew and Greek for "beginning" and "birth" - which makes it a great name for a first baby. While it's not uncommon in the United States - Genesis reached 139 in the 2007 charts - you're more likely to run into many girls named Genesis in Chile, where the name has held a place in the top 50 throughout the past decade. Gianna - means "God is gracious" in both Hebrew and Italian, and it has been steadily been rising in popularity in the U.S. (Last year it was ranked the 90th most popular name for girls.) Gia is a great nickname for little Giannas, even though Gianna itself is a nickname for Giovanna. In 2006, famous basketball player Kobe Bryant named his second daughter Gianna, possibly because of the name's Italian roots; Bryant spent part of his boyhood living in Italy with his family. Grace - has Latin roots in the word for "blessing," and today the word evokes the qualities of charm, beauty and divine virtue. So it's no wonder that this has been a popular name for girls for more than a century (it was at its hottest in the late 19th century, when rankings began). In 2007, Grace was ranked 19th most popular girls name in the U.S. and number one in the UK. Alex Trebeck, Christy Turlington, Edward Burns and most recently Elisabeth Hasselbeck have all named their daughters Grace. H Names Heaven - (also spelled Heavynne), first showed up in the top 1,000 ranking of girls' names in 1990 and has risen in popularity ever since. In January 2007, "Wild On!"s Brooke Burke named her third daughter Heaven Rain. Hailey - an English surname meaning "field of hay" - offers plenty of choices (and possible confusion) when it comes to spelling. Other common versions are Hayleigh and Hayley, while some parents go for nontraditional spellings like Halie or Haley. The name Hayley became popular for girls starting in the 1960s, when a young Hayley Mills started her career as an actress, and has grown even more so since the early '90s. In 1996 Stephen Baldwin named his second daughter Hailey Rhode. Hunter - is a very boyish boy's name and a preppy-sounding girl's name. It comes from the Old English and was originally used for men who hunted for a living. The name reached its highest point in the U.S. charts a decade ago, perhaps popularized by soap star Hunter Tylo (she changed her name from Deborah Jo Hunter). I Names Isabel - gained popularity in Spain during the Middle Ages as Isabella, a Spanish version of Elizabeth, meaning "devoted to God." In the U.S., it has maintained a spot in the top 100 girls' names since 1999 and has been given to leading ladies on two hot TV shows - both played by Katherine Heigl: "Roswell" and "Grey's Anatomy," in which the character is better known by the much-loved nickname Izzie. J Names Janessa - "god's gracious butterfly" in Greek, makes plain Jane more interesting by combining that name with Vanessa. A prime candidate for nicknames - from "Jan" or "Jane" to "Essa" and "Nessa" - Janessa is not high on the popularity list, giving it a somewhat unique flavor. Jaylin - is growing in popularity for girls, although it's commonly used as a boys' variation on Jaylynne or Jaylinn. All three versions originated in the United States as a way to combine two names - most often the names of the parents - for example Jason and Angelina. Jessie - is a Hebrew name that means "rich." These days, it's a common nickname for Jessica, but it used to be very popular for boys until its variant, Jesse, became the spelling of choice - for girls as well as for boys. In the 1980's, Don Johnson named his son Jesse and Patti Smith gave the name to her daughter. With Jessie continuing to slide, it's a great option for parents who want something a bit more unusual. Jordan - was a male name in Europe, but it has become popular for little girls in English-speaking countries recently. A Hebrew name, it means either "one who descends" or "the river of judgment," the latter most likely coming from the Jordan River, which is considered one of the most sacred rivers in history. Some celebrities following the trend of giving girls the name Jordan are model Cindy Crawford, whose daughter is Kaya Jordan, and singer Bono. Male Jordans include football player Jordan Babineaux and New Kids on The Block member Jordan Knight. K Names Kacie - is an American name that comes from Casey, originally an Irish boy's name meaning "vigorous." It's also commonly used as a nickname for Cassandra and as a phonetic version of the initials K.C. For boys, Casey used to rank high because of the song "The Ballad of Casey Jones," which memorializes a heroic railroad engineer whose name was derived from his place of birth, Cayce, Kentucky. Kacie has been sinking in the girls-name charts since the 90's, which makes it quite unique today. Keira - is the feminine version of Kieran, an Irish name meaning "dusky" or "dark-haired." The name has quickly become very popular in the past few years, likely thanks in part to "Pirates of the Caribbean" costar Keira Knightley. In 2003, when the movie came out, Keira was ranked 620 among girls' names; it jumped up to 257 the following year. Kendyl - is an English name that means "bright river valley" or "the Kent river valley," an area in England, and it can be used for either boys or girls. A more popular variant of it is Kendall, which was ranked 166th for girls in the U.S. last year. The name's rise in popularity for girls began in the '90s, around the same time that actress Sarah Michelle Gellar started playing the role of Kendall on "All My Children." Kendyl has not appeared on the charts in the U.S or around the world, making it a more unique option. L Names Layla - has several origins: Swahili ("born at night"), Hebrew ("night") and Arabic (both "night" and "dark beauty"). The Eric Clapton song "Layla" was inspired by a Persian poem about a young man, Majnun, who was in love with Layla and went mad after he was denied her hand in marriage; she then married another man and died. A common variant spelling of the name is Laila, which may rise in popularity as Laila Ali, daughter of legendary boxer Mohamed Ali, expands her career - she was a professional boxer, recently appeared on "Dancing With the Stars" and now cohosts "American Gladiators". Leah - has two meanings: In Assyrian it stands for "ruler"; in Hebrew, "weary." The Old Testament Leah was the first wife of Jacob, who was tricked into marrying her instead of her younger sister Rachel. Despite its sad history, Leah has been a very popular name for girls in the U.S. (and also in Europe, where it has topped the charts in the past few years). One well-known Leah is TV star Leah Remini, who made her name in "The King of Queens" and is now mom to three-year-old Sofia. Lily, the plant from which this name comes, is a symbol of innocence as well as beauty. Parents in the late-19th and early 19th centuries chose this name for their daughters, and it started growing popular again a decade ago (these days, it’s often shortened to Lil). Lily could be a great name for a springtime baby - one of the most beloved forms of the flower is the Easter lily, which blooms in March and April. Lola - a version of Dolores, means "sorrows" in Spanish; it comes from Maria de los Dolores, also known as the Virgin Mary, or Mary of the Sorrows. A popular name in the early 1900s, Lola resurged in the '70s (probably inspired by the Kinks' hit song) and then dropped off the map, only to reappear in 2002 - and it has slowly risen since, thanks in part to a sudden surge of celebrity babies being named Lola. Among today's little Lolas are the children of Annie Lennox, Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock and Jennie Garth. M Names Madison - a common surname meaning "son of the powerful soldier" and, sometimes, "son of Maud or Matthew's son," didn't exist as a first name before 1985, when Daryl Hannah's character in the movie "Splash" named herself Madison Avenue after the famous New York City street. By 2003 it had become the third most popular girl's name in the U.S. Some parents like to get creative with the spelling - for example, Maddyson or Madisyn - and with nicknames like Madi or Mat. Marley - is an English name that means "marshy meadow," but these days, it evokes memories of legendary musician Bob Marley. Fans of the reggae artist tend to stick to the traditional spelling, but some people view variations like Marlee and Marli as more feminine. Marley hit the top 100 for girls in 1994 and has been rising in popularity since. Actress Angelina Jolie chose it as a middle name for her adopted daughter, Zahara Marley. Mia - has a few different origins: in Israel it is a short form of Michal ("who is perfect"); in Scandinavia it is a short form of Maria ("wished for or bitterly wanted child"). The name first appeared in the top 100 chart in the 1960s and steadily rose, possibly influenced by the increasing popularity of actress Mia Farrow. In 2006 the name reached 13th most popular for girls in the U.S. Some other well-known Mias are Olympic soccer player Mia Hamm and model-actress Mia Tyler. In 2000 actress Kate Winslet named her daughter Mia Honey. Morgan - is originally a Welsh boys' name deriving from "bright sea" that means "lives by or in the sea." Though it is still used often for boys, in the U.S. it has become even more popular for girls. It first hit the girls' name charts in the '70s and reached a ranking of 43rd most popular last year; it's 405th for boys. Two notable Morgans are Morgan Fairchild and Morgan Freeman. Favored middle-name combinations: Morgan Taylor, Morgan Ashley and Morgan Grace (picked for his daughter by former U.S. Olympic hockey star Keith Carney). O Names Olivia - now the fifth most popular name for girls in the U.S. - was originally coined by Shakespeare for the impetuous young noblewoman in "Twelfth Night"; he most likely either derived the name from the Latin oliva, for olive tree, or used it as a feminine form of Oliver. Nowadays, probably the most famous Olivia is the star of Ian Falconer's best-selling preschool books about a loveable piglet with diva ambitions.P Names Paige - which means "assistant," was originally a surname for young servants or "pages" in noble households. While it can be used for boys, it has become far more popular for girls. Three women who may have helped give the name its feminine edge are Miss Alabama 1981, Paige Phillips; Miss California 1992, Paige Adams; and Belle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," voiced by Paige O'Hara. Peyton - has gained a reputation as a boy's name due to the popularity of football player Peyton Manning, but since debuting on the girls' name charts in the early '90s, it has consistently ranked higher for girls than boys. That trend might get a boost from fans of Peyton Sawyer on "One Tree Hill," the teen show that will be catching up with its characters "four years later" in September. The name comes from the English town of Peyton, "village of the warrior," but in Ireland, it's a variation on Patricia, "of noble descent."R Names Reese - is a unisex version of the masculine name Rhys. It's long been a favorite for little boys and has been in the top 1,000 on the "blue" side since the beginning of the 20th century. Recently - maybe inspired by actress Reese Witherspoon (born Laura Jeanne) - Reese has become more popular for girls; in 2007 it hit 150 in the charts, while it was just 458 for boys. Riley - is an Old English name meaning "rye clearing." Traditionally it has been used for boys, but starting in the '90s, it has become twice as popular for girls (although there are still plenty of baby-boy Rileys). If you're thinking about Riley as a middle name for your child, you're in good company: Courtney Cox and David Arquette named their baby Coco Riley, and Lisa Marie Presley's child is Danielle Riley. S Names Savannah - is one of a number of place-name baby names that have become popular in recent years. In the U.S. it was ranked 30th for girls last year, and in Canada 72nd. The word itself is Spanish for "open plain." Savannah is a hot choice among celebrity parents - Janice Dickenson, Steven Segal and Jimmy Buffett have given the name to their daughters, and in 2004 comedian Chris Rock named his youngest child Zahra Savannah. Skylar - is an English variation on the Dutch name Schuyler, which means "scholar." Though rare, it's on the rise. In 1997, Minnie Driver helped boost the name's popularity when she played Skylar in the movie "Good Will Hunting." The following year it jumped from 313 to 195 in the girls' charts and it's been gathering steam ever since. Sophia - comes from the Greek word for "wisdom." Actress Sophia Loren boosted the name's popularity back in the 1950s and '60s. Recently, it's been on the rise again: We're guessing that the media attention surrounding Sophia Coppola, Academy Award-winning director and daughter of Francis Ford Coppola, may have helped it reach a ranking of sixth most popular name for girls in 2007.Summer - almost screams hippie - it was on the up-and-up for girls through the '60s and '70s. (A famous Summer of the '70s is Summer Phoenix, two of whose siblings are Rain and River; she and hubby Casey Affleck named their baby son Indiana August.) But in the past few years, the name Summer has been entering the mainstream both in England, where it reached the top 100 in 2007, and the U.S. In time, it could become as popular as the names May and June were in the '50s. Sydney - is the girls' counterpart to the traditional boys' name Sidney. Although Sidney Poitier gave the male version widespread recognition by becoming the first African-American actor to receive an Academy Award, the female Sidney is far more popular among parents today. In 2006 it was ranked 34th for girls in the U. S. Sidney means "wide, well-watered land" and "wide island" - but most children are probably named after the Australian city, which in turn was named after Lord Sydney, who issued the charter to establish an English colony there.T Names Trinity - has been popular for girls since the 2000 release of "The Matrix," which featured a strong female character by that name. Its literal meaning is "a group of three" - in Christianity, the holy trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Not surprisingly, two popular middle names for Trinity are also religion-oriented: Faith and Grace, which mean "belief" and "gods favor." Even with its current popularity, Trinity is still an unusual name that opens up options for nicknames like Trini and Trina. Z Names Zariah - an Arabic name meaning "shining; flower," can also be translated as "princess," since it is a take on the Hebrew Sarah. In 1981 Princess Anne of Britain used another variant of the name for her second child Zara Phillips, who is 12th in line for the Royal throne. Zariah is a very rare name among girls in the U.S. - good if you're looking for something unique for your child, but not if you're worried about mispronunciations or misspellings.