Last year, some 994 Seans were born in Ireland alongside some 698 Sarahs, with Jack, Conor, Adam, James, Emma, Katie, Aoife and Sophie the other favourite names.

Sean is a particularly interesting example . . .it's gone from being completely unfashionable to top of the list in only a matter of years, no doubt to the surprise of some parents who thought they were bestowing an ancient and underused Irish name on their little boy.

A myriad of factors are responsible for the great baby-naming challenge and the internet is one. Sites such as BabyNames. com, which attracts over 1.5 million visitors each month, has a babynaming consulting service, where for $34.95 its research team will come up with a list of 12 names for you, based on your preferences.

There has been a dramatic increase in the publication of baby-naming books and parents are less likely to be restricted by traditional family names, religious influences such as saints days or visiting popes (1979 was a prime year for Johns, Pauls and John Pauls), or even conventional spelling. It's more likely that a baby will be called the diminutive form of a name than the full version, eg Jamie and not James.

Pamela Redmond Satran, co-author of The Brilliant Book of Baby Names: What's Best, What's Hot and What's Not, says that in contrast to the past, parents want their children to stand out and explains why when they think they're choosing something unique, they often find the rest of the country also had the same idea.

"Baby-naming trends are changing very quickly and especially first-time parents, who are basing their idea of an 'underused' name on the names that were popular when they were kids, often end up choosing something that's become quite trendy, " she says.

"Most parents want something different and original but at the same time they want a name that sounds cool and attractive and stylish . . . and really, that's likely to be a name that a lot of other people also like and are 'discovering'. If you really want a name that's unusual, you have to choose one that goes against the tastes of the moment, a name that, when you try it out on your family and friends, they make a face or tell you it's an awful name and you're going to damage your child by choosing it. And most parents aren't brave (or foolish) enough to do that!"

In her opinion, the biggest overarching trend globally is to choose a name that's distinctive, that has some individual meaning and that shows off parents' personal style. Redmond Satran also points out that the individual trends in the US, UK and Ireland are noticeably different.

"In the US, for instance, there's a trend for ethnic names from all over the globe . . . Irish surnames like Delaney and Tierney, for instance, along with Italian and French and African first names. Also, word names . . .Lake, Sky, Destiny . . . are trendy here, " she says.

"In Britain, there's a funny trend for nicknames that sound like they come from an American country western song . . . Dixie, Dottie, Alfie, Barney." And how about Ireland? It's interesting to compare the Irish popularity list with the American one, Redmond Satran says. "Some names such as Ava, Grace and Ella, Jack, Luke, and Dylan are trendy in both countries. But then trendy Irish choices like Aoife, Caoimhe and Roisin, Cian and Oisin are unknown in the US."

In the baby-naming sphere, as in many other areas, celebrities have been most influential in terms of their own names, as well as their baby names. While parents may not be naming their babies Madonna or Oprah, they feel that having such an attention-grabbing name can be a plus in the world. Redmond Satran points to Angelina Jolie, both of whose names (Jolie as well as Angelina) are being adopted by parents, while her son's name, Maddox, is also being used. Another popular choice is Ava, for Ava Gardener as well as Reese Witherspoon's daughter.

Ask Redmond Satran what horribly outlandish names she's come across and she says a lot of American parents will use an attractive sounding word or a combination of syllables without thinking of the meaning.

"The very worst I heard was Cleeshay."

PLAY IT COOL, BABY

Names your friends will think are hip:

For girls: Asia, Browyn, Cameron, Delaney, Delilah, Georgia, Lark, Lola, Maisie, Paloma, Sam, Sasha, Siena, Violet, Willa

For boys: Ash, Beckett, Cormac, Cruz, Dashiell, Donovan, Elvis, Finn, Gus, Hudson, Jackson, Jude, Matteo, Miles, Rico, Rowan.

From 'The Brilliant Book of Baby Names' (Collins) by Pamela Redmond Satran & Linda Rosenkrantz www. brilliantbabynamer. co. uk