n 2010, parents went gaga over pop culture-inspired baby names. Don’t be alarmed. Parents didn’t go the dramatic pop singer route, literally. Bonus points if you know her real name. Instead, many opted for nostalgic names from a drama set in an era gone by and a TV comedy that sings the praises of high school. Here are a few other inspirations. Need help finding the perfect name?

The Palin effect
The name Bristol is hot, thanks to Sarah Palin's dancing daughter. Watch her moves.
Some babies are named after cities. Others are named after cars.

Here are a few theories on how Sarah Palin picked the names of her children:
Bristol was named after a place where the family loves to fish.
Palin’s oldest son was named after the sport season in which he was born.
Some think one of Palin’s daughters was named after a town in Alaska.
Others think Palin’s youngest daughter was named after an aircraft that’s often seen in the state.
Some may think Palin’s youngest son was named after a math class, but it actually has an honest meaning.

Hmm. We’ll let you decide how Bristol picked the name of her son.

Disney princesses and baby names
What mother doesn’t want their little girl to be a princess? So, it’s no surprise that Disney characters have been very popular. Here are a few names that were crowned as being popular in 2010.

There’s the first African-American princess
A little mermaid that lives under the sea
And, a sleeping beauty.

What if you are having a boy?
Here are a few Disney male character names for you.

‘Teen Mom’ and baby names
Even the underage moms on MTV's "Teen Mom" are inspiring name trends.

The names of these cast members were very popular this year, according to the babycenter.com.
Interestingly, the name of the "Teen Mom" accused of domestic violence has dropped in popularity.


Popular baby boy names
Need help picking a name for your unborn son? Here are a few ideas.
You could go the biblical route
Have dreams of your kid being a sports star?
Maybe the global approach is best


Popular baby girl names
First names make great impression. So here are a few ways to get your baby girl off to the right start. Before you just start picking names, try finding out the meaning first. Now that you have a sense of what you are looking for, here are a few suggestions.

You could go the ‘Twilight’ route.

Not traditional? Here are a few unique options.

Don’t be a plain Jane. Go the ethnic route.

Weird celeb baby names
Sure you’ve heard about Apple’s mom. But which celebrity named their child Pilot Inspektor?

Here are a few of the weird and wacky names that their kids are stuck with.

Jermaine Jackson gave his son a somewhat royal name.
Toni Braxton named one son after fabric and another after fuel
Erykah Badu named her son after a number.
David Duchovny and Tea Leoni just took the way too easy out route

Worst baby names
Ok. We gave you a few popular options. Now here are some names that probably won't be hot in 2011.

Naming your son after this NBA star may not be a good decision – if you live in Cleveland.
You’ll have to pay the other kids not to tease your kid for having a dollar sign in her name.
Do they have anger management in preschool? Because your kid will need it after he finds out who he's named after.