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Talking Baby: Picking The Right Name

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – New parents-to-be know how hard it can be to choose a name for their baby. It can be tricky, exciting, and downright stressful because some experts say a baby's name could impact their future.

There is no shortage of opinions when it comes to baby names.

"People should name their children so they're not embarrassed later on when they have to go to school," said Linda Robinson.

"It's sort of your identity marker," said University of Miami Sociology Professor Michael French. "It hangs out with you for the duration of your life."

The list of most popular names from 2013 revealed few surprises.

Sophia, Emma, and Olivia took the top spots for baby girls.

Jackson, Aiden, and Liam were the most popular boy names.

Janet Ozzard from BabyCenter.com said one of the biggest trends they are seeing is people going back to their roots.

"Grandparents are a big influence. People are looking to our own families to pick names."

Professor French said choosing a name with meaning is always a good idea, but you don't want to choose something too common. "You may be just one of many Marys or Johns or Michaels. You don't have your original identity."

Pop culture also continues to play a big role. Names like Korie, Phil, and Sadie from the hit TV show "Duck Dynasty" are shooting up double digits in popularity. "Duck Dynasty is about a tight knit family, self-made family, a family working together. Pre-scandal it was a model of a tight knit family," said Ozzard.

But, French said be careful choosing a name from your favorite TV shows or movies. "It might have a short shelf life and people will view it negatively a few years from now."

Speaking of celebrity names, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West chose the name North West for their baby girl.

BabyCenter.com says most people thought it was a poor choice. North topped their list of least favorite celebrity baby names. That means we likely won't be seeing it topping any popular lists any time soon.

That's could be good news for a future generation according to Professor French.

"Studies have shown people with certain names conjure certain stereotypes, either negative or positive can do better or worse at job interviews."

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