In the last decade, these were the 50 most popular names for girls in the United States (listed in order of popularity):

Emily: This name originated from the Roman familial name, Aemilius, with Aemilia being the feminine form of the name. It was a common Christian name in early Roman times and rare in English-speaking countries until the 18th century, when it was usually found in the form of Amelia. By the 1870s, it was ranked among the top names in the U.S. and Great Britain, then declined in favor until the 1970s.  Meaning: Ambitious, industrious.

Madison: The name's historical origins are masculine, as a patronymic form of Maude, meaning son of Maude. Its use as a feminine name arose largely from the 1980s film Splash, where the mermaid selects her name from seeing the street sign for Madison Avenue, in New York City. Meaning: The name in its feminine form has no particular meaning.

Emma: From the Greek name Erma. Meaning: The big one, or grandmother.

Olivia: From the Latin, oliva, meaning olive, or olive tree. Meaning: The olive tree or branch is a symbol of peace.

Hannah: A Hebrew derivative. Meaning: Gracious, merciful.

Abigail: The Anglicized form of the Hebrew name Avigayil. Meaning: Father of joy.

Isabella: Along with Isabel, this is the Spanish variant of the English name Elizabeth, which is derived from Hebrew. Meaning: God's oath.

Samantha: Aramaic origins. Meaning: The listener.

Elizabeth: Derived from Hebrew. Spelling variant is Elisabeth, but Elizabeth is the more common spelling. Meaning: God's oath.

Ashley: Originated as a surname, first used as a given name in the 1860s, originally as a masculine name. Old English origins. Meaning: Ash wood.

Alexis: A variant form of the name Alexandra, which is the feminine form of the Greek name Alexander. Meaning: Protector of men.

Sarah: Hebrew. Meaning: Princess, noble.

Sophia: English and German name from the Greek sophos and sophia. Meaning: Wisdom, skill.

Alyssa: One of the many variant forms of Alice, originally a Middle English name Alys and Aelis, which evolved from the Old French Aliz and Aaliz. Meaning: Of noble birth.

Grace: From Latin, literally meaning grace.

Ava: From the Latin name Avis. Meaning: Bird.

Taylor: An Anglo-Saxon occupational name, also used as a masculine name. Meaning: A tailor.

Brianna: A feminine derivative of the masculine name Brian. Originally derived from the Celtic and Gaelic name Briareus. Meaning: Strong.

Lauren: Variant form of Laura, from the Latin laurus. Meaning: Laurel (an herbal plant).

Chloe: Greek. Meaning: Blooming, verdant.

Natalie: French and German form of the Latin natalis. Meaning: To be born.

Kayla: Variant form of Kelila, from Hebrew. Meaning: A crown, a laurel.

Jessica: A variant form of Jessie, from Hebrew. Meaning: God's grace.

Anna: The Greek form of the Hebrew name Hannah. Meaning: Gracious.

Victoria: Latin. Meaning: Victorious.

Mia: A short form of the Hebrew name Michaela. Meaning: Who is like God?

Hailey: From the Norse word haela. This name has many spelling derivatives. Meaning: A hero.

Sydney: Also commonly spelled Sidney. Commonly used as a masculine name. This name has two origins, both name place derivatives. One is a contracted form of Saint-Denys, a French name place. The other is La Sydenya, a location in Surrey (UK) that was then spelled Sidney and used by the landowners, who rose to prominence in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Old English meaning is: wide, well-watered land.

Jasmine: From the Arabic and Persian yasamin; Yasmin is the Persian form. Meaning: A flower (in the olive family).

Julia: This is a very ancient name, with its origins in Greece and Rome. It is the feminine form of the masculine Julius and was the name of the clan from which Julius Caesar arose. Meaning: Soft-haired, symbolizing youth.

Morgan: Welsh. Meaning: Sea dweller.

Destiny: This is a modern name taken from the English word. It literally means destiny.

Rachel: Hebrew. Meaning: An ewe (female sheep).

Ella: A pet form of Eleanor, which is derived from the Greek Helen. Meaning: Light.

Kaitlyn: Another spelling for the Irish name Caitlin, which is ultimately derived from Catherine, derived from Greek katharos. Meaning: Pure, unsullied.

Megan: A variant form of Margiad, the Welsh form of Margaret. Originally from the Greek name Margaron. Meaning: A pearl.

Katherine: A variant spelling of Catherine. Derived from the Greek katharos. Meaning: Pure, unsullied.

Savannah: Spanish origin. Meaning: Treeless plain.

Jennifer: Originates from the Welsh name Guinevere, which later became Winifred. In the Arthurian legend, Guinevere was the wife of King Arthur. Meaning: White wave or white phantom.

Alexandra: Feminine form of the Greek name Alexander. Meaning: Protector of men.

Allison: A matronymic form meaning son of Alice. This name was originally a masculine name.

Haley: From the Norse word haela. This name has many spelling derivatives. Meaning: A hero.

Maria: Latin, French, Italian, Spanish and Swedish form of Mary, derived from the Hebrew name Miriam. Meaning: Sea of bitterness, sorrow.

Kaylee: A variant form of Kylie or Kelly, which is a variant form of Kelt or Celt, antecedents of the Gaelic families of Europe. Meaning: Usually interpreted as the war-like ones.

Lily: A derivative of Lillian or Lilian, from the Latin lilium. Meaning: A lily.

Makayla: A form of Michaela, derived from Hebrew. Meaning: Who is like God?

Brooke: From Old English broc and Middle English brok. Meaning: to break out, as in a stream of water.

Mackenzie: A Gaelic patronymic form. Meaning: A son (or descendant) of Kenneth.

Nicole: Feminine French form of Nicholas.

Addison: A patronymic form of the pet form of Adelaide. Meaning: Addie's son.

So, for most of us, picking a baby name is not something that is done lightly. But where do we begin? There are so many choices! And it seems that even if we think we're being oh-so-original in our choice - we unwittingly name our child right in the middle of a national trend and land in the top 100 of baby names for the year!

First and Last name combinations

Be careful about how the first name you select sounds with your last name. If your last name is, for example, Woods - you probably don't want to name your son Forrest or Woodrow; if your last name is Ford, you probably should think twice before naming a child Chevy. A first name that sounds almost identical to a last name can also be difficult for a child, such as John Johnson or Jack Jackson (it seems masculine names lend themselves more to this than feminine names). In the United States and Great Britain, many given names are derived from surnames, so there can be a lot of sound-alikes.

Giving a middle name

Is it necessary for a child to have a middle name? No, it's not. It's entirely up to the parents whether or not their child has a given name and a surname alone, or a given name and one or more middle names. Giving a middle name is traditional in the U.S., and gives a child distinction from others who may have the same or similar name. It is also used to show respect to those we love and/or respect, by passing their name along to a child. It's probably best not to give a child more than two middle names, however. And for heaven's sake, make sure the child's initials don't make an acronym that will embarrass them! Amy Sue Smith isn't going to want to put a monogram on anything. You get the idea.

Nicknames

Some parents have a tendency to give a baby a nickname in utero, which sometimes sticks with the child throughout its life. With the current use of ultrasound, it's possible to know the gender of your child long before its birth. Try to pick a name and, if applicable, a nickname early in the pregnancy and then use that instead of something like "peanut." You may find such nicknames endearing, but a child will find them less endearing the older he or she gets, especially if classmates at school tease and make fun of it.

Don't Let Your Other Children Pick The Baby's Name

The naming of a child really is an adult decision. Asking your other children "what should we name the baby?" implies that their input will be seriously considered. You might be surprised at the response you get, ranging from their favorite Sesame Street character (Elmo wouldn't really be all that bad - would it?) to a character in a Pixar movie (how about Wall-E?). If you want to involve your children, put up a list of names you're considering and ask them which ones they like best, but make sure they understand you're asking for their opinion as a family member - but you are going to make the final decision!

Don't Name Your Baby After a Pet

A lot of people give their pets "human" names. My mother had a friend who was always confusing the name of her grand-daughter with the name of the family dog, because they were very similar. It was funny when the grand-daughter was a baby - I'm not sure she found it as amusing when she was a teenager. There are few secrets in families and if you name your child after your favorite childhood pet or your family dog that died during the pregnancy, I can almost guaranty that one day someone will spill the beans. If you're going to give your pets "people" names, make sure they aren't names you're going to want to use in the future when you have children!

Here are the top names in the U.S. for 2008. We'll be bringing you more baby names and meaning of baby names to help you pick your baby name.