Baby names, just like clothing styles, can go in and out of fashion.
Some of the most popular names of the year are old ones that are experiencing a comeback,
while others have a bit more of a modern ring to them.
Here's what people are most often naming their children in 2017 so far.
The top two
The name Emma comes from an ancient Germanic term meaning "universal," but its popularity
isn't limited to Europe.
The name broke into the top ten most popular baby names lists in 2002, right around when
Rachel and Ross gave the name to their new daughter on Friends.
"Emma!
…. See I don't want it."
And it's remained a consistent favorite ever since, landing at number one on the list of
most-popular girls' names this year.
The good news is that if you name your daughter Emma, she'll already have a birthday theme
song all lined up ...
"Emma, your name poses a dilemma, 'cause not much else rhymes with Emma."
The bad news is that, since it's so common right now, you can probably expect her to
go by her first name and last initial once she reaches grade school.
The same is probably true for the most popular name for male babies, too.
Liam, which began as a nickname for William, has now overtaken its parent moniker in terms
of widespread use.
Since pop culture does seem to influence baby name trends, there are quite a few Liams sporting
celebrity stripes right about now.
There's unconquerable action hero Liam Neeson, The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth, Game
of Thrones' Liam Cunningham, and former One Directioner Liam Payne.
So, right now Liams are pretty much running the gamut of fan-frenzied things, which certainly
couldn't have hurt the name's growing use.
"You do understand that I myself am not a child."
"I was able to sniff that out, yeah."
Oldies but goodies
Ava is a classic variation of the Biblical name Eve and is currently clocked in at number
three for girls this year.
If you're looking for a timeless name that evokes beauty and grace, this is it.
Meanwhile, the name Noah is also an ancient name that dates all the way back to Biblical
times but continues to to be common today.
So, what gives Noah so much staying power?
Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that it derives from the Hebrew name Noach
which means "rest" or "comfort."
Since the number one goal for any newborn's parent is to get them to actually sleep, how
could a name like that not float your boat?
World class
The name Olivia is generally thought to be the feminine version of Oliver, but it didn't
actually exist until William Shakespeare made it up in the early 17th century for his play
Twelfth Night.
It's a testament to Shakespeare's genius that, centuries later, it looks like the Bard really
did know what's in a name.
Meanwhile, the name Lucas has made its way to the number three spot for boys in 2017.
The Latin form of the name Luke, Lucas is trending all over the place and is making
its mark everywhere from Chile to New Zealand to Northern Ireland.
The name is derived from the southern Italian region of Lucania, making it a strong name
choice for your future jet-setter.
Movies matter
Isabella is a tried-and-true name that has royal roots and was the given name of medieval
queens and modern princesses alike.
It came back into favor in a big way once the Twilight movies came out, since the central
protagonist's name was the shortened version, Bella.
"You'll always be my Bella."
This year, it continues to reign high on lists of most popular girls' names.
On the boys' side, the name Logan has jumped up five spots to break into the top ten at
number six.
Originally a last name translating to "little hollow," the name has probably gotten a blockbuster
boost from the box office smash that closed the book on X-Men's Wolverine this year.
The gender-benders
Originally a last name, Harper was once a work-related name for a player or a maker
of harps.
It slowly began to emerge as a given name.
Today, Harper is the ninth most popular female name, although it's also slowly starting to
gain traction with the boys, too.
Another burgeoning gender-bender is Aiden, which is most popularly given to boys but
is gaining favor with girls as well.
Aiden is derived from the old Irish name Áed, meaning "fire," so it's fair to say that this
name is a hot one right now.
Strength and wisdom
For boys, the rise of the name Mason coincides with the popularity of one of its namesakes,
the Mason jar.
Thanks to the Pinterest crowd, Mason jars can be found everywhere these days and have
become a popular choice of drinkware at hip restaurants and weddings.
Mason started its journey as a last name meaning "stoneworker" before making the leap to become
a given name in its own right.
And while the name Sophia has been around for centuries, it also comes to the fifth
spot on the girls' list from ancient Greece.
Meaning "wisdom," the name became popular in the Middle Ages with European royals whose
parents were perhaps hoping to bestow some smarts upon their young leaders.
It probably doesn't hurt that television's raddest granny ever had the name as well ...
"Abra Cadabra one two three."
Thanks for watching!
Click the List icon to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Plus check out all this cool stuff we know you'll love, too!