Choosing A Baby Name: Names for Success And Most Popular Baby Names

Choosing a baby name is usually a highly prioritized item on the baby planning agenda. Parents spend a great deal of time nowadays pouring over baby name books and baby name websites, trying out sounds, seeking out meanings, hopeful that the right name will bounce right off the page, clear and obvious, as if it was meant for their child all along, as if it was fate.

Is a name a random characteristic of a person or does it affect a person's destiny? William Shakespeare so famously said, "What's in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Did Shakespeare have a point or can a name influence a person's life? It has been suggested that the perception of oneself and the perception of others' based on a person's name may affect the way one carries themselves through life and the way that person is treated.

With that in mind, I have compiled a list of the most common boys and girls names of successful people:

Boys                           Girls
1. Steven                    1. Jacqueline
2. Ross                       2. Morgan
3. Christopher             3. Elizabeth
4. James                     4. Katherine
5. Robert                    5. Victoria

                                              
                             
If you're looking for today's most popular baby names, you'll find that the trend is a shift away from highly original and unique names towards more classic names.

The following is a list of today's top 10 most popular baby names for boys and girls, including their origins. These names have earned their top positions as they have withstood the test of time. 

BOYS - TOP 10 BABY NAMES
Baby Name			Origin
1. Noah (unisex)			Hebrew (Biblical) - Noah's ark
			Meaning: Rest, Comfort
2. Liam			Irish
			prior to 1066 C.E.
			Meaning: Desire, Guardian, Protector
3. Ethan			Hebrew (Biblical)
			Meaning: Strong, Safe, Firm
4. Mason			French
			Used in middle ages by stoneworkers
5. Lucas			Greek, from Latin "lucius" meaning
			"the bright one" or "the one  born at dawn";
			Appears in Ancient inscriptions, prior to 70 C.E.
			Meaning: Light
6. Oliver			French, from Latin "olivarius",
			at least 11th century
			Meaning: Olive tree planter
7. Aiden (unisex)			Irish and Scottish Gaelic,
			400 B.C.E.
			Meaning: Fiery One
8. Elijah			Named after Jewish Prophet
			9th Century B.C.E.
			Meaning: The Lord is my G-d
9. James			Derived from Hebrew name "Jacob",
			Appears in New Testament
			Meaning: Supplanter, One who follows
10. Benjamin			Hebrew (Biblical)
			Meaning: Son of my right hand
GIRLS - TOP 10 BABY NAMES
Baby Name			Origin
1. Emma			Derived from German,
			at least 10th century C.E.
			Meaning: Whole, Universal
2. Olivia			Derived from Latin "oliva",
			at least 13th century C.E.
			Meaning: olive
3. Ava			German, may have derived from Latin "avis" meaning
			bird" or may be a short form of the Hebrew form of the
			name Eve, "Chava", meaning "life"or "living one",
			at least 9th century C.E.
4. Sophia			Greek
			Middle ages
			Meaning: Wisdom
5. Isabella			Hebrew, Variation of Isabel, Elizabeth
			at least 13th century C.E.
			Meaning: My G-d is an oath, Pledged to G-d
6. Mia			Latin, Hebrew, Scandinavian
			at least 17th Century C.E.
			Meaning: Mine, Wished-for child, Beautiful
7. Charlotte			French, female version of name Charles,
			at least 18th Century C.E.
			Meaning: Strong, Virile, Vigorous
8. Amelia			Latin
			at least 7th century C.E.
			Meaning: Industrious, Striving
9. Harper			Scottish, Originally a last name which appears
			as early as 18th century C.E.
			Meaning: Someone who plays the harp, Pleasant, Brave
10. Abigail			Hebrew (Biblical)
			Meaning: The father's joy

Whatever name you and your significant other choose for your baby, remember that the process, albeit one to take seriously, should be fun as well and should be entirely your own. Don't let others influence your decision with unsolicited criticism. You are the parent(s) after all and you are best suited to provide the most fitting name for your child.

Please leave a comment below with the names you have chosen for your child(ren), and how you picked them.