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Just in case you thought your tax dollars were going nowhere, rest assured: our government is keeping a close eye on baby name popularity. If you want to give your baby girl a name that makes her stand out, look elsewhere this is the 2006 list of the ten most popular female names.

10. Samantha
1960s actress Samantha Eggar originally popularized this name. Now, Sammy is a strong and savvy woman; both the X-Files' Samantha Mulder and Samantha Stephens of Bewitched are capable of taking care of themselves. Samantha is probably an Anglicization of the Hebrew name Samuel, meaning "God hears."

9. Sophia
Derived from ancient Greek names, Sophia has its roots in the term for "wisdom." It conjures up images of an Italian beauty; think Sofia Coppola and Sophia Loren. It was a popular name in Victorian England as well.

8. Hannah
A Biblical name, Hannah implies a patient and faithful woman. It means "God has favored me." When Miley Cyrus chose her pop star alter-ego name, she was probably thinking more of alliteration than meaning, but Hannah Montana really rolls off the tongue.

7. Olivia
Thank Shakespeare for this one. As far as we know, the aloof heiress in Twelfth Night was the first Olivia ever. He probably meant it as a feminine form of Oliver, which refers to the bearer of an olive branch therefore a bearer of peace, and also the forefather of a large family. Australian beauty Olivia Newton-John immortalized herself as the spunky but wholesome Sandy in Grease.

6. Abigail
Another name from the Bible, referring originally to a waiting-woman. It's since become a traditional literary name for a handmaiden or serving girl. This name implies a gentle, humble woman, and means "her father's joy."

5. Ava
This was an important city in Burma, and was once its capital. Adapting it to be a name was probably a smart move; Ava Gardner is not only one of AFI's greatest stars of all time, but she was married to both Mickey Rooney and Frank Sinatra.

4. Isabella
This is the Italian version of the common Elizabeth. If you want to be both traditional and unique, it's probably your best choice. It is likely a portmanteau of Isis (Egyptian goddess of love) and "bella" (Italian for "beautiful"). Traditionally a queen's name, Isabella was also the name Tony Soprano imagined for his hallucinatory perfect woman on The Sopranos.

3. Madison
Originally a surname, this meant "son of Maud." As a girl's name, this was nonexistent until 1985, the year after the movie Splash was released. In it, a mermaid adopts the name Madison when she sees Madison Avenue. Tom Hanks' character responds, "but Madison isn't a name!" It is now.

2. Emma
This German name means "whole" or "universal." The Avengers' Emma Peel isn't afraid of dealing out a few kicks to the head; if you're a Harry Potter fan, the fetching Hermione Granger is played in the films by Emma Watson. You can't go wrong with this name!

1. Emily
The number one most popular girl's name in the U.S. probably means "rival," but no one knows for sure. In this case, meaning takes a backseat to aesthetics. I'm sure you all remember Clifford the Big Red Dog's loving owner Emily Elizabeth. For all your dark, staccato poetry needs, turn to Ms. Emily Dickinson, one of the quintessential American poets. This name has stayed popular throughout the years, and is rich with history and tradition.

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