Journalist and New York City mom Laura Dunphy reports that the pressure is on for Gotham parents to choose baby names that are more creative, more unusual, cooler than those anyone else is using. But no matter how hard you try, you still might not make it.

Ah, New York, New York.  If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.  And if you can name your baby here without needing therapy or Xanax, then I applaud you.

That’s because like everything else in NYC, baby naming is intense.  If most people think naming children is a pleasant activity, like badminton or a picnic, Manhattanites treat it as a competitive sport, like rugby or bond trading.

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Having a baby in New York City is different from having one anywhere else, and that includes choosing a name.

The most popular New York baby names are a departure from the popular names in the rest of the country, for one thing. Daniel tops the boys’ chart for the very first time in the 2007 New York City name popularity statistics, with Jayden rising to number two. Sorry, Mayor Bloomberg, but Michael has now fallen from the top spot to number 3 for the first time in 50 years. Isabella and Sophia tied for number one for girls, unseating Ashley and Emily.

Other names that are higher on the New York popularity list than they are in the rest of the country include, for girls: Rachel, Chloe, Angelina, and Esther, and for boys, Justin, Sebastian, and David.

The reason? The diverse ethnic population accounts for much of the unique mix of New York baby names. One of the few locales that breaks down name popularity by ethnicity, names high on the list for Hispanic babies born in New York City include Angel, Luis, and Jose for boys; Mia, Angelina, and Sofia for girls.

African-American parents differed from those of other ethnic backgrounds in favoring names of black celebrities. Jada, Imani and Aaliyah were high on the girls’ popularity list, while Elijah and Isaiah were popular for boys.

The Asian popularity list featured some counterintuitive ethnic favorites. The number one name for Asian baby boys is Ryan, for example, with Kevin, Vincent, and Ivan also ranking high. For girls, Tiffany, Fiona, and Winnie, a name that doesn’t even break the national top 1000, are popular.

And then there are names on the New York City list popular among Hasidic Jewish parents that are virtually unheard of elsewhere in the country: Malky, Raizy, and Shira for girls; Moishe, Chaim, and Menacham for boys. Plus ethnic choices such as Fatoumata, Xin, Tatiana, and Mohamed that reflect New York’s special mix.

But New York wouldn’t truly be New York without a range of sophisticated names as well. Names favored by New York parents and found here more often than in other parts of the country include such refined choices as Sebastian, Julian, and Henry for boys, and Alexandra, Charlotte, and Alice for girls. Maximus and Giuliana (yes, Giuliana) have an only-in-New York quality, though Rudy was not to be found.

Of course, beyond the most popular list, there are names that are trendy in hip New York that are still rarely heard in most parts of the country. Oscar, Ruby, Atticus, and Isla may be bordering on overexposed in Tribeca and Park Slope, but might still be radical choices west of the Hudson River.

New Yorkers chose a range of place names for their children, including Dakota, Sierra, Asia and Paris. But in an ironic twist, Brooklyn, number 57 nationwide, is nowhere among them.

Chelsea is one New York neighborhood name that does show up on the popularity list, just outside the Top 100. New York parents — or fans of the city — in search of more original local choices might want to consult the list of New York baby names based on the city neighborhoods.

This post appears in somewhat different form in the current issue of Big Apple Parent and can be found online at nymetroparents.com.

Daniel tops the boys’ chart for the very first time in the just-released 2007 New York City name popularity statistics, with Jayden rising to number two and long-time top name Michael falling to third place.    Isabella and Sophia tied for number one for girls, unseating Ashley and Emily.

The rise of Isabella and Sophia is interesting, but Daniel is the real story here — and not just because it’s number one in New York.  It’s also in first place in other big states like California and Illinois (though way down at number 25 in Alabama).  Daniel’s been in the nationwide Top 10 for many years now, but why suddenly the rise to Number 1?

Daniel, more than national number 1 name Jacob, is a natural for the top spot.  With a modern feel and traditional roots, Daniel appeals to a wide range of parents: Christian and Jewish, conservatives and forward thinkers, it relates to Danny Boy and Daniel in the Lion’s Den.  Plus it’s a name that crosses many ethnic lines: Its Spanish version, for instance, is just like its English one.

And there are fewer male names with this kind of widespread appeal than you might think.  Matthew is another one that qualifies.  Alexander, sort of.  William, okay.  Andrew, maybe.

But long-time favorites such as Joseph and James and Robert feel a tad traditional.  Anthony, a little ethnic.  Joshua and Justin and Ethan, too nouveau.

Daniel sits comfortably in the middle, with very few equals among boys’ names.

Famous Daniels include Webster, Boone, and Day-Lewis.  The name has been in the national Top 20 since 1952 and in the Top 50 since 1921.

A few other tidbits from the New York City popularity statistics: Ryan is the number one name for Asian boys.  Because of the large Jewish population, Chaya is actually in the Top Ten for white girls.  Giuliana, spelled this way as a possible tribute to Mayor Rudy, is on the popularity list.  And Brooklyn, the number 57 name for girls nationwide, is nowhere to be found.

Here’s the whole story on New York City names.