Picking a baby name is easy for some parents, more difficult for others. Some of us have favorite family names that have been passed down for generations and we want to carry on the tradition by giving that name to our child. We have emotional attachments to certain names - sometimes, a beloved family member, such as a mother, father or sibling and sometimes a character in a favorite book or movie, or even a place with a name that lends itself easily to a name. For others, it's a difficult choice, knowing that the name we give our child is something he or she will carry with them throughout their life. For many, the giving of a name to a child is a sacred trust with many messages and good fortune attached to it.

So, for most of us, naming a baby 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.

What's in a name?

A given or personal name is the name (or names) given to a baby by its parents. A surname is the last name that is handed down to offspring; also known as a family name. In the United States and most Western European countries, the surname is passed from the father to the children; in some cases, parents may choose to hyphenate the family name of both parents. For example, John Smith and Annie Jones may name their child Richard Jones-Smith.

A patronym is a name derived from the name of the father, or another paternal ancestor. For example, Jackson (Jack's son) is a patronymic name.

A matronym is a name derived from the name of the mother, or another maternal ancestor. In some societies, surnames are matronymical. In England in the Middle Ages, it was not uncommon for children to be given a matronymic surname if they were born to unwed mothers, if their fathers died before their birth, if they were born to a very strong-minded woman. In some cases, the matronym was given if the father's name was foreign or difficult to pronounce. In many cases, these surnames became the personal names, such as Allison (son of Alice).

There are many derivatives of names, depending on the cultural background, as well as spelling variants, and crossover from masculine names to feminine names in many variations. Some derivatives sound nothing like the original name; Kermit is a derivative of the Irish name Dermot. Another example is Charlotte, a French variant of Carlotta, and the subsequent derivatives produced by pet names of Lottie, Charlie and Totty; or Sally, a pet name derived from Sarah.

For centuries, family names have been turned into personal names, which becomes apparent if one looks at a family tree. An ancestor with the family name of Russell may show up in the next generation when a daughter preserves the family name by assigning a personal name of Russell to her child.

Finally, there are pet names that have become actual given names. There are too many examples of this to list, but Elizabeth is probably a very good example, spawning names such as Beth, Betty, Elise, Eliza, Elisa, Alyssa, Elsie, Liza and Lisette, to name a few.

Where do names come from?

In the United States, our names are derived from a wide variety of ethnic and social groups, but Anglo-Saxon and Western European names are still predominant on the lists. Names of babies are given by parents, who pull from their own rich heritage and social groups when deciding what to name their baby.

If you've looked through the baby names list here, you can see that Bible names are still very popular, especially for male baby names, such as Isaiah, Joseph and Noah. Bible baby names for girls, such as Rachel, Sarah and Hannah (and their derivatives) are also very popular. Biblical names are easy to understand because their roots are easily traced, usually to their Hebrew origins, and because throughout most of the world, the names are familiar from the Old Testament portion of the Bible.

Christians of the first centuries used Old Testament Hebrew names. Over time, these were replaced in favor of names from the New Testament, such as Peter, Paul and Luke for boys, and Mary for girls. (Unfortunately, the New Testament is not as forthcoming about women of the time as was the Old Testament, so there are fewer feminine names.)

During the Reformation in the 16th century, Old Testament names once again became popular, as did names derived from virtues, such as Faith, Hope and Charity.

In many cultures throughout time, names have been borrowed from names of places (place names), or from trades or crafts (occupational names). John, who lives near Gladstone, would eventually become John Gladstone or Gladston; the aristocratic English name Redvers was originally a Norman place name. In occupational names, John, the smith, became John Smith; Joe, the tailor, became Joe Tailor or Taylor. Middle English names were often occupational, such as Brewster (one who brews beer).There are many, many examples of place names in both personal and family names.

Calendar names, such as seasons (Autumn), days of the week (Tuesday), or months of the year (June), and names from nature, such as Sunny, Silver and River, are also used. Numeral names are not as common, although they were used extensively in ancient Rome; Quintus (5), Octavius (8) and its feminine form, Octavia, for example.

Each generation brings something new to the names they give their babies, with variations in spelling and variations in names or hybridization of names. We all want to make our child stand out and be unique - and sometimes we give them a name just because we like the way it sounds! Whatever you name your child, just remember there are many, many names and variations to choose from, and that the name will be with your baby throughout his or her entire life.

What are the most popular names for baby boys, and what are their meanings?

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

Jacob: Hebrew. Meaning: Held by the heel, one who holds another back.

Michael:In the Bible, the archangel closest to God, the divine messenger who carries out God's judgments. Hebrew. Meaning: Who is like God?

Joshua: Hebrew. Meaning: The Lord is my salvation.

Matthew: Hebrew. Meaning: Gift of God.

Daniel: Hebrew. Meaning: God is my judge.

Christopher: Greek and Latin. Meaning: Christ-bearer.

Andrew: Greek. Meaning: Manly, valiant, courageous.

Ethan: Hebrew; Etan is the modern Hebrew spelling. Meaning: Permanent, firm, strong.

Joseph: Hebrew. Meaning: He (God) will add or increase.

William: A variant form of the Old French name Willaume and the Old High German Willehelm. Meaning: Resolute protector.

Anthony: Original form is Antonius. From Greek and Latin. Meaning: Flourishing (Greek) or worthy of praise (Latin).

David: Hebrew. Meaning: Beloved.

Alexander: Greek, from Alexandros. Meaning: Protector of men.

Nicholas: From the Greek nike, meaning victory, and laos, meaning the people. Meaning: Victory of the people.

Ryan: A short form of Bryan or Bryant (Brian or Briant). Derived from the Celtic and Gaelic name Briareus. Meaning: Strong.

Tyler: British, possibly meaning a house builder.

James: English form of the Hebrew name Jacob. Meaning: Held by the heel, supplanter.

John: Hebrew. Meaning: God is gracious, God is merciful.

Jonathan: Hebrew. Meaning: God has given.

Noah: Hebrew. Meaning: Rest, peace.

Brandon: A variant form of the Irish name Bran. Meaning: A raven.

Christian: From the Latin christianus. Meaning: A Christian.

Dylan: Welsh. Meaning: The sea.

Samuel: Hebrew. Meaning: His name is God, or God has heard.

Benjamin: Hebrew. Meaning: Son of my right hand.

Zachary: A variant form of Zechariah. Hebrew. Meaning: The remembrance of the Lord.

Nathan: Hebrew. Meaning: He gave, implying a gift of God.

Logan: From Middle English and Old Norse. Meaning: A felled tree.

Justin: A variant form of Justus. Meaning: Just.

Gabriel: Hebrew. Meaning: God is my strength.

Jose:  Spanish form of Joseph. Meaning: He (God) will increase.

Austin: English variant forms of the Latin August and Augustus. Meaning: Revered, exalted.

Kevin: Gaelic. Meaning: Handsome, beautiful.

Elijah: Hebrew. Meaning: The Lord is my God.

Caleb: Hebrew. Meaning: Faithful.

Robert: From Old High German. Meaning: Bright fame or famous counsel.

Thomas: From Hebrew and Aramaic. Meaning: A twin. Also, Phoenecian. Meaning: Sun god.

Jordan: From the Hebrew yarod. Meaning: To flow down, descend, a descendant.

Cameron: Celtic. Meaning: Bent nose.

Jack: A pet form of the name Jacob. Meaning: Held by the heel, one who holds back another, supplanter.

Hunter: Old English. Meaning: To search, hunt.

Jackson: Use of the surname son of Jack as a first name.

Angel: Greek. Meaning: Messenger or saintly person.

Isaiah: Hebrew. Meaning: Salvation of the Lord, or the Lord is my helper.

Evan: A Welsh form of the name John. Hebrew. Meaning: God is gracious, God is merciful.

Isaac: Hebrew. Meaning: He will laugh.

Mason: From Old French macon. Meaning: A worker in stone.

Luke: The English form of Lucius.  Latin. Meaning: Light.

Jason: Greek and Latin. Meaning: Healer.

Gavin: Scottish form of Gawain, a Welsh name. Meaning: Little white hawk or falcon.

What are the most popular names for baby girls, and what are their meanings?

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.