Liam, Emma are top names for tots in Iowa

The little boy with the brown curl on his forehead and joyous grin is named Liam.

His parents, Boone couple Kaitlyn Hofeldt and Jon Clark, picked the name because it sounded strong, and they both like Liam Neeson.

The Irish actor is known for playing tough-guy roles in blockbusters such as the 2008 action thriller "Taken," in which Neeson's threat to his daughter's kidnappers became an enduring pop culture meme.

It's tough to imagine the boy in the plaid shirt saying anything more threatening than, "I don't know who you are, but if you don't change my diaper, I will find you. I will have a blowout."

Clark and Hofeldt thought the name would be unique, but it turns out "Liam" is the most popular boy's name in Iowa, according to federal baby name records. "Emma" is the most popular girl's name.

But popular isn't what it used to be when it comes to baby names.

In 2013, 217 babies born in Iowa whose parents applied for a Social Security card were named Liam. Forty years ago, when Jason topped the list, 1,019 baby boys shared the name.

In ensuing years, it was more likely for Jasons to overlap in classrooms and workplaces.

As a much smaller portion of baby names, today's Liams might go years before they rub elbows with another boy who shares their moniker.

"We live in the naming equivalent of the 900-channel world," said Laura Wattenberg, founder of the website BabyNameWizard.com, which gives information about baby name meanings and trends.

Today's parents aren't looking for conformity when picking a name for their child. They want something distinctive.

"In some ways, they're thinking about names the way people think about picking user names for email or Twitter," Wattenberg said. "They want something that stands out and is unique."

Wattenberg began studying baby names about 13 years ago, when she was looking for a name for one of her children.

She started building charts and tables based on Social Security name data.

"My husband came home one day, and I showed him what I was doing," Wattenberg said. "I suppose he could have said, 'What's wrong with you?' But he said, 'Huh, there's a lot going on here.' "

For example, 50 years ago, boys and girls born in Iowa and issued a Social Security card were given 846 different baby names.

Last year, the number was 1,278 names, an increase of more than a third.

The gradual shift to a desire for different names dates to the 1960s, when a series of cultural shifts occurred, Wattenberg said.

"In the 1960s, there was a move toward more individuality, and a rise of ethnic names started to take hold, especially in black communities," Wattenberg said.

The real boom in names came in the 1990s, specifically 1995, when the Social Security Administration first released its popular baby names list.

"Anytime there is a ranking, there is a competition," Wattenberg said.

Except in this competition, instead of trying to be No. 1, many parents are looking to be No. 1,278.

Ashley Bauer of Cedar Falls named her son Liam when he was born in August 2013.

"I was very surprised to learn it was a top name because I haven't heard of that many Liams," she said. "I went through a lot of names and finally stuck with Liam, thinking it wasn't as common as some."

Bauer can take heart. Though Liam is a popular name in Iowa, every baby is one of a kind.