Jacob and Sophia were the top boy and girl names for Maryland newborns last year.

The Social Security Administration released the state's most popular names Monday.

Nationally, Jacob tops the list for boys, while Isabella was the most popular girl's name last year. (Those are two main characters in the popular Twilight series.)

The Baltimore Sun reports:

Nationally, Maci — name of a prominently featured mother in "Teen Mom" — and Kellan, the name of the actor who portrays Emmett Cullen in the "Twilight" series — has the biggest jumps in popularity nationwide. Neither made the Top 100 in Maryland.

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That's according to an annual index complied by Save the Children, an international nonprofit group.

The United States came in 31st when taking into account maternal and child indicators and other information.

Norway ranked at the top spot, while Afghanistan came in last, according to this Associated Press story on the 12th Annual Mothers Index.

The best place in the world to be a mom is Norway, where maternal and child mortality rates are low, women's life expectancy and years in school are high, and the average maternity leave is about one year, a new study measuring the well-being of mothers and babies shows.

The survey noted that the United States came in at 31 mainly because its maternal mortality rate of 1 in 2,100 is among the highest of any industrialized nation.

Also on the top of the list are Australia and Iceland.

In Afghanistan, mothers have the world's lowest life expectancy at 45 years old. And one in every 11 women die in childbirth.

In contrast, a typical Norwegian woman lives to be 83, according to the AP. One in 175 mothers will lose a child before his or her 5th birthday in Norway.

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I have no doubt that there will be several other boys with J.'s name when he's in school. His name has been one of the most popular baby names in recent years.

The Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson released its list of most popular names based on 4,447 babies that were born at the hospital last year.

Olivia was the most popular name for girls. Noah (which I love) was the No. 1 name for boys.

I'm beginning to see a return to more traditional names at least among my friends and people I know. Of course, there are parents who want unique and unusual names for their children, Aakarsh and Zyheim, according to GBMC.

Here's the rest of the list:

Boys:
2. Mason
3. Jacob & Ryan
4. Ethan & Logan
5. Andrew & William
6. Aiden, Benjamin & Dylan
7. Daniel, Michael & Tyler
8. David & Liam
9. Alexander, Jackson, Matthew & Samuel
10. James

Girls:
2. Emma
3. Madison
4. Sophia
5. Abigail, Ava, & Chloe
6. Emily
7. Ella
8. Elizabeth & Sydney
9. Alexandra
10. Brooke & Natalie

I would love to hear some stories on how you picked names.

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Working Mother magazine has released its annual 100 Best Companies for working moms.

This is the 25th year that the magazine has complied the list that looks at benefits, such as child care programs, flextime, telecommuting, paid maternity leave and other work options, that help moms -- and dads -- juggle life and work demands.

The list includes many well-known financial, consulting and healthcare companies, including PNC Financial Services, Ernst & Young and IBM.

It highlighted two Maryland companies: Marriott International and Discovery Communications.

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Downtown Ellicott City (The Baltimore Sun) 

If you recall, Money Magazine recently ranked Ellicott City, along with Columbia, as the No. 2 best small urban area to live in.

Now, Kiplinger.com says Ellicott City is one of the top 10 cities for raising families.  

It says:

It's just 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore (with its Inner Harbor/Aquarium complex) and 50 minutes from the nation's capital. Yet the schools are better, the neighborhoods safer, and the cost of living slightly lower than many suburbs in this region. Howard County boasts one of Maryland's top school districts. 

It also cites Ellicott City's high average family income, solid wage growth and 67 nearby parks. However, the magazine also notes high housing costs and the traffic-congested commute to Baltimore and Washington.

I recently moved to Ellicott City, close to its historic downtown, and I have to say that it's been a great place for young families.

But these lists can be pretty subjective. What do you think of this latest ranking? What else does Ellicott City offer? And what other places in the Baltimore region are great for raising families?

Chime in, parents.
 

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