Most Popular Baby Names of 2011: The List

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By Jeanna Bryner
published

Three naked babies sit next to each other.
Parents are always on the lookout for something new when it comes to baby names, says one baby-name expert. (Image credit: Dreamstime)

The Social Security Administration just released the most popular baby names of 2011, with Sophia bumping Isabella to a No. 2 spot for girls, and Jacob holding its top spot for the 13th year in a row.

The Social Security started compiling baby name lists in 1997, with the agency offering lists of baby names for eacy year going back to 1880.

Parents supply this information to the agency when applying for a child's social security number at the time of the child's birth, meaning the agency has a constant supply of data. [Read full story about 2011's most popular baby names]

Here are the top 50 most popular girl and boy names for 2011:

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Jeanna Bryner
Jeanna Bryner
Live Science Editor-in-Chief

Jeanna served as editor-in-chief of Live Science. Previously, she was an assistant editor at Scholastic's Science World magazine. Jeanna has an English degree from Salisbury University, a master's degree in biogeochemistry and environmental sciences from the University of Maryland, and a graduate science journalism degree from New York University. She has worked as a biologist in Florida, where she monitored wetlands and did field surveys for endangered species. She also received an ocean sciences journalism fellowship from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.