The most popular baby names of 2011, revealed

By Rebecca Dube

The baby names are out! BabyCenter revealed on TODAY its most popular names for 2011 – a list eagerly anticipated each year by name nerds and parents. (If you are both, like me, even better!)

This year it’s all about two letters: A and N. For girls, the top five names all end with –a: Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia and Ava. On the boys’ side, the –n ending ruled five of the top eight: Aiden, Jackson, Mason, Jayden and Ethan.

Top Baby Names of 2011

Girls                                       Boys

Sophia                             Aiden
Emma                              Jackson
Isabella                           Mason
Olivia                              Liam
Ava                                 Jacob
Lily                                 Jayden
Chloe                              Ethan
Madison                          Noah

BabyCenter Editor-in-Chief Linda Murray pointed to celebrity influence on expectant parents, noting that Mason – the name of Kourtney Kardashian’s two-year-old son – rose eight spots in the rankings. Of course, it helps that he has the trendy –n ending. His K-named relatives did not fare as well, with Kourtney, Khloe, Kylie and Kristin all dropping in popularity.