"Noah" held on to the top spot as the most popular name for male newborns in the United States, the Social Security Administration revealed as it released its annual list of top baby names.

The Biblical moniker had already topped the agency's ranking in 2013, after surging from fourth place the previous year.

For baby girls, the most popular choice in 2014 was "Emma," a name that had come in second in both 2012 and 2013. "Sophia," the winner in the two previous periods, meanwhile, dropped to third place, while "Olivia" was the current runner-up.

The remaining Top 10 options for boys were Liam, Mason, Jacob, William, Ethan, Michael, Alexander, James and Daniel. The most popular choices of purely Spanish-language origin were Luís (ranked 99th), Jesús (ranked 111th) and Santiago (ranked 115th).

For girls, meanwhile, Isabella, Ava, Mia, Emily, Abigail and Madison ranked among parents' favorites. Charlotte was the 10th most chosen name for girls in 2014, though it may well spike in popularity this year after Prince William and Kate Middleton picked it for their daughter, who was born on May 2.

The little royal's second name -- Elizabeth -- also turned out to be popular in the United States in 2014, where it was the 14th most common choice for female offspring; the princess's third name -- Diana, a tribute to William's late mother -- however, was ranked only 297th on the Social Security Administration's list.

The federal entity used the release of its highly anticipated ranking to remind parents of the steps they need to take to get their newborn a Social Security number: "You can apply for (the number) when you apply for your baby's birth certificate," it said in a statement. "The state agency that issues birth certificates will share your child's information with us, and we will mail the Social Security card to you," the agency explained.

While registering a baby with the Social Security Administration is voluntary, it carries a number of important benefits: The number enables parents to apply for government services for their child and buy savings bonds in his or her name, for example.