I received a letter in the mail from the Christian organization, Focus on the Family (Focus). I learned that Jim Daly, the president and CEO of the organization, was an orphan, so he feels a very strong need to provide loving homes to the children in the foster care system.

Of course, Focus is a Christian organization, so the letter is specifically written to Christians. The letter points out that there are more than 300,000 churches in the United States and 127,000 waiting children. So, if only half of the churches in the United States assisted a family in adopting one child out of foster care, there would be no more foster children waiting for homes.

I must admit that my first reaction was skeptical. I do not believe that people should adopt a child just because their religion tells them to take care of the orphans. I believe that the only reason a person should adopt a child is because he or she truly wants to parent a child. I was pleased to see that the letter addressed this concern as well.

Jacob … its meaning is "He who supplants" - Think Baby Names

Joshua … its meaning is "Jehovah is salvation" - Think Baby Names

I thought it might be fun to check out the Top Ten names chosen for twins. The most recent statistics available are the twin names chosen in 2007.

Number one on the list are the names Jacob and Joshua, both of which I have previously discussed. They are both baby names with Biblical significance, and both are of Hebrew origin.

Ethan … its meaning is " firmness, steadfastness, constancy" - Think Baby Names

The baby name Ethan is of Hebrew origin. According to Think Baby Names, the name Ethan comes from the name Eitan, who was “a man of Israel noted for his wisdom.” However, according to BibleGateway.com, the name “Eitan” does not appear in the Bible. So, perhaps the story of Eitan was passed down through tradition rather than through the Bible??

Regardless, Ethan does have Hebrew roots, which makes it a good name for both Jewish and Christian adoptive families. The meaning of “firmness, steadfastness, and constancy” is a good one for families that grow through adoption because so much “steadfastness” is required to make it through the adoption process.

The baby name Ethan is a Top Ten baby name.

Jacob … its meaning is "He who supplants" - Think Baby Names

The baby name Jacob is of Hebrew origin. In the Bible, Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. He was the father of twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. The baby name Jacob is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and, by extension, in the Christian faith.

The baby name Jacob is a wildly popular name, ranking #1 in every year since 1999. The baby name first broke into the Top 10 in 1993 and the Top 20 in 1990. What’s interesting is that the baby name Jacob only ranked at #353 in 1967 but then skyrocketed to the Top 100 by 1974. The baby name continued to rise in popularity each year until it took over the #1 slot in 1999. See Popular Baby Names.