Gosport, England – Choosing a name for your baby can be one of the hardest tasks a parent faces, but a new survey from a leading personalised baby gift supplier may be able to help you on your way.

The study by Born Gifted, which surveyed almost 3000 baby names during the first half of 2012, revealed that the number one spot for girls was Amelia (7.2%) and the top boy’s name was Thomas (7.7%).

Interestingly the study found that Olivia and Oliver were the tenth most popular names which is in stark contrast to official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which disclosed that Oliver and Olivia were the most popular names in 2010 (most recent data).

The shift in naming trends has continued and whereas Sophie was the second most popular name two years ago, it is now in ninth position, with many parents choosing the slightly adapted versions Sophia or Sofia.

Names that were popular in the 2010 ONS survey such as Jessica, Ruby, Chloe and Grace have been replaced by Isla, Eva and Phoebe. Further names that have proved popular in the first half of 2012 were Charlotte/Lottie (5.6%), Isabella/Bella (5.2%), Lily/Lilly (4.7%) and Emily, Holly and Olivia (3.4%).

In terms of boy’s names, the recent study found many contrasting name choices compared to previous results compiled. The popular names this year (after Thomas) included Sam/Samuel (5%), Freddie (4.8%), Liam (4%), and Henry (4%); with classic names such as Jack, William and George not even making the list.

The top ten lists for 2012 revealed by the Born Gifted study are as follows (showing the most popular first)

Girls: Amelia (7.2%); Charlotte/Lottie (5.6%); Isabella/Bella (5.2%); Lily/Lilly (4.7%); Isla (4.3%); Eva (4.3%); Phoebe (3.9%); Sophia/Sofia (3.6%); Emily, Holly & Olivia (3.4%)

Boys: Thomas (7.7%); Harry (6.2%); Joshua (5.3%); Sam/Samuel (5%); Freddie (4.8%); Charlie (4.4%); James (4.2%); Liam & Henry (4%); Alfie & Oliver (3.5%).

The study also produced a few slightly unusual names including Rudy Blue, Wynter, Huxley, August, Bleu, Dixon, Jaxon, Tulip and Westly!

If you are struggling to find an appropriate name for your child, why not use one of the names highlighted in the study. Remember that naming a child is an important task because they will live with it for the rest of their lifetimes.

The article 2012 Most Popular Baby Names appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

BabyCenter, a pregnancy and parenting mobile and Web destination, announced its list of the most and least favorite celebrity baby names of 2011. BabyCenter surveyed its audience to see which celebrity baby names made the A-list and which fell short. Based on responses from nearly 3,000 moms, Victoria and David Beckham did the best job in naming their little girl, Harper Seven.

The name Harper has already jumped an impressive 34 spots and is clearly parents’ favorite celebrity name of the year. Also topping the list are Willow Sage, the daughter of new parents Pink and Carey Hart, and Aiden, son of Rod and Penny Lancaster Stewart.

“Celebrities are creative, and their baby name choices are no exception,” says Linda Murray, BabyCenter Global Editor-in-Chief. “Love them, or hate them, celebrity baby names are always a hot topic, so it’s no surprise that nearly 50 percent of expecting moms trying to decide on a name find inspiration from celebrities.”

Top 5 Favorite Celebrity Baby Names

Harper Seven (David & Victoria Beckham)
Aiden (Rod & Penny Lancaster Stewart)
Liam James (Craig & Megan Ferguson)
Willow Sage (Pink & Carey Hart)
Arabella Rose (Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner)

Unfortunately, not everyone can be a winner. According to BabyCenter moms, topping the list of least favorite celebrity baby names is Bear Blu, son of Alicia Silverstone and Christopher Jarecki. Also high on the list is the name of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon’s son, Moroccan Scott, as well as Mike Myers and Kelly Tisdale’s son, Spike.

Top 5 Least Favorite Celebrity Baby Names

Bear Blu (Alicia Silverstone & Christopher Jarecki)
Moroccan Scott (Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon)
Agnes Lark (Jennifer Connelly & Paul Bettany)
Spike (Mike Myers & Kelly Tisdale)
Declan George (Danny & Gia McBride)

With all the unusual baby names out there, BabyCenter celebrity contributors, The MOMS (Denise Albert and Melissa Gerstein, formerly of Moms and the City), caught up with some of our favorite superstars to find out if they suffer from baby name regret and if they’ve ever considered changing their own name.

For answers from Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, and other stars, check out the video at http://blogs.babycenter.com/celebrities/would-you-change-your-name-matt-damon-would/.

The article List of 2011’s Favorite and Least Favorite Celebrity Baby Names appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.