James and Daniel are top baby names in Scotland

It is one of the most important choices new mums and dads have to make.

And when it comes to naming their new-born baby, it seems parents in Edinburgh are likely to play it safe.

New statistics from the Registrar General for Scotland show that James and Sophie have been the most popular names for children born in Edinburgh during the last year.

The Capital bucked the national trend, where Jack replaced Lewis as the top boys' name and Sophie was top girls' name for the second consecutive year.

In total, 51 new-born boys in the Capital were given the name James, while 44 girls were named Sophie.

Alexander and Lewis were the second and third most popular boys' names, while Lucy and Emma were next in line for girls.

The success of the latest actor to play James Bond, Daniel Craig, could be the reason that 42 parents called their son Daniel, making it the fourth most popular name.

Among the more unusual names that made the top 10 in the city was Samuel, possibly inspired by cult moviePulp Fiction and Snakes on a Plane star Samuel L Jackson, which was chosen by 36 parents.

One a more religious theme was Joshua, with a total of 31 boys given it as their forename in 2006.

Amy was the fourth-most popular girls' name, chosen by 34 parents, while 32 girls were named Ellie.

Nationally, Jack topped the list - although it didn't even make the top ten of boys' names in the Capital.

In East Lothian, the top three boys' names also bucked the national trend, with Ben, Cameron and Jack coming out on top, while Lucy, Katie and Emma topped the girls' list.

Lewis, Matthew and Cameron topped Midlothian's boys' list, with Erin, Lucy and Sophie the most common three girls' names.

Jack and Ryan came out tops in West Lothian, narrowly ahead of Lewis, while Sophie was just above Chloe and Katie in the girls' list.

The record of the nation's favourite names came in figures published by the Registrar General for Scotland, Duncan Macniven, whose staff registered 26,500 boys' and 25,300 girls' names.

More than 6000 different names were chosen across the country, and around 1600 boys and 2200 girls were given unique names.

The calculations count different spellings separately, and if these were combined Callum or Calum would take over the top slot for boys and Aimee or Amy would be the top girls' name.

While Jack was the top name for boys in 12 councils areas, Lewis was top in 11 areas.

And while Sophie was the most popular name in 15 areas, Erin and Lucy were each top in four areas.

But the figures also show parents choosing an ever-widening range of names.

In 1900, the top 10 boys' names were given to more than 68 per cent of all boys born that year, and the top 10 girls' names were given to 48 per cent of all baby girls.

By 1975, the top 10 boys' and girls' names accounted for just 22 per cent and 21 per cent of all names and this year the proportion went even lower, to 17 per cent for both boys and girls.

Mr Macniven said: "There is a change at the top for boys, Jack just pipping Lewis, but there are no new entrants to the top 10.

"However, there are two new entrants to the top 20 - Aaron (up eight places to 13th) and Logan (up eight places to 15th)."

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