A new list of most popular baby names was recently released. The list tracks the popularity of names based on applicants for Social Security cards in the United States. In addition to baby names for boys and girls, the SSA also issues lists of names for twins.

Some interesting trends for 2011:

• Girl Twins: Olivia & Sophia displaced Ella & Emma as the most popular names for girl twins. Sophia was also the most popular single name for girls. Because the SSA counts different spellings as unique entries, Mackenzie & Madison come in at #8 on the list, but if you combine all of the variations (Madison with Mackenzie, Mckenzie  or Makenzie)  it would actually place much higher on the list. (The same scenario persists with Makayla and Makenzie.) Gone from past years' lists are: Chloe & Claire, Abigail & Lillian, Jada & Jade, Paige & Payton and Kayla & Kylie. Combinations with Isabella have fallen in popularity. New entries include: Haylee & Kaylee, Samantha & Sophia, Reagan & Riley and Autumn & Summer. Full List of Popular Names for Girl Twins

• Boy Twins: After years at #1, Jacob & Joshua dropped to #2, replaced by Daniel & David. (Jacob remains the #1 name for singleton boys.) Isaac & Isaiah jumped up from #10 to take the #3 spot for 2011. Interesting new entries on the list include Maddox & Mason, Chance & Chase, Gabriel & Michael, Liam & Logan, Garrett & Gavin, and Henry & William. Losing favor were combinations using the name Joshua, Daniel and Evan. Full List of Popular Names for Boy Twins

• Boy/Girl Twins: Madison & Mason retain their stronghold on the top spot, while Olivia & Owen jump to #2 from #10. Jayda & Jayden rose to #3 while Emma & Ethan fell from #2 to #4. Isabella & Isaiah hurtled to #5 from #20 in 2010. New or noteworthy names on the 2011 list include: Blake & Brooklyn, Trinity & Tristan, Charlotte & Henry, Adrian & Adriana and Ella & Ethan, which debuted at #9. Past popular name combinations that missed this year's list are: Lily & Logan, Brandon & Brianna, Eli & Ella, Jayla & Jaylen and Zachary & Zoey. Despite Sophia's popularity on girl lists, several boy/girl name combinations featuring Sophia fell out of favor in 2011. Full List of Popular Names for Boy/Girl Twins

What about your twins' names? Share their names -- and the reasoning for your choice -- by clicking here.  And browse these other resources for more help in choosing names for twins.

Names for Twins:

• How to Choose Names for Twins
• Parents' Poll: The Name Game
• Readers Respond: Names for Twins
• 2011 Most Popular Names for Twins

Photo reprinted with permisison of Laura.

Meet the Twins of the Week! Ava and Ashton were only two weeks old in this sweet picture. Click to learn more about them.

• Share your thoughts, opinions and advice in the comments section.
• Newborn Twins Photo Gallery.
• Submit a photo of your multiples.

An Iowa school claims a new record for "Most Twins in the Same Academic Year in One School."  Guinness World Records named Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in Des Moines, Iowa for the distinction. There are 16 sets of twins in the ninth grade; the school has an overall population of 711 students. Five sets of the twins are identical and eleven are fraternal. The previous record was held by Pomperaug High School in Southbury, Connecticut, which has thirteen sets of twins.

Upon telling the students that they would receive a certificate from Guinness citing them as record holders, the school assured the twins that they would each receive a certificate ... one per person, not one per twin set.

A set of sextuplets -- six babies -- born in Texas at the end of April continue to make progress, although one of the babies faces more challenges. Lauren and David Perkins of of Pearland, Texas (near Houston) became parents of sextuplets with the birth of Andrew, Benjamin, Levi, Allison, Caroline and Leah on April 23, 2012. The babies were born at thirty weeks gestation; their weights ranged between 1 pound 10 ounces and 2 pound 15 ounces.

Although overall the babies are doing well, Leah has faced the most problems, requiring surgery to remove part of her intestine. She remains on a ventilator. All of the babies will remain hospitalized at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas until they reach four to five pounds and are able to feed and breathe on their own.

More Resources:

• Welcome to the World, America's Newest Sextuplets
• Texas Sextuplets' Parents: 1 Sick Baby a Fighter
• All About Sextuplets