Isabella, Jayden again top names for NYC babies

NEW YORK

Mayor Michael Bloomberg released the list of baby names Wednesday. He said 123,029 babies were born in the city in 2011, down 1.4 percent from 2010.

It takes several months to compile the list of most popular names because many birth certificates are initially filed without names and are updated later.

The Health Department's birth certificates showed that more than 600 Isabellas and more than 800 Jaydens were born in the city in 2011.

Sophia and Jacob were the top baby names nationwide in 2011, and both ranked second in New York City. The other eight girl's names in the top 10 were Olivia, Emma, Mia, Emily, Madison, Leah, Chloe and Sofia. Ethan, Daniel, Michael, Matthew, Justin, David, Aiden and Alexander rounded out the boys.

"Choosing a name for your newborn is an exciting part of having a baby. But above all, we must bring our newest New Yorkers into a healthy, safe environment," said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley, whose name ranked 52 this year. "The Health Department helps women stay as healthy as possible pre-pregnancy, obtain quality health care during pregnancy, and receive the care and support their babies need to thrive."

Nine of the top 10 girls' names for 2011 were holdovers from 2010, with Sarah dipping to number 11 and Sofia joining the list, up from 16 to number 10. Among boys, "A" names gained traction with Alexander back in the top 10 after getting bumped off two years ago and Aiden reemerged in spot 9 after years of dwindling popularity. Michael and Matthew also jumped up two spots to positions 5 and 6, respectively, while Joseph and Joshua slid to spots 13 and 14.

Some New York baby names may have been inspired by famous actors or musicians, such as Sofia (#10), Ashton (#117) Angelina (#33), Usher (#140) and Mariah (#106). Others may have been inspired by political icons or scientific pioneers such as Darwin (#151), Desmond (#141) and Kennedy (#135).

While Jayden wins, some parents drop the "y" (Jaden #49) or swap it for an "i" (Jaiden #92). Other spelling variations include Aiden (#9), Aidan (#59), and Ayden (#39). While Isabella is the most common name bestowed upon newborn girls, similar names include Isabelle (#93), Izabella (#121) or Isabela (#151). This year's runner up also comes in two favored forms: Sophia (#2) or Sofia (#10).

New York City parents found inspiration from as close as Brooklyn (#141) to far-away places like Santiago (#115), Egypt (#143) and London (#45).

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