I chose Canon because I had friends with Canon lenses but in 5 or 6 years I've only borrowed one once.
Nikon has eclipsed Canon in innovation lately, at the upper end at least. Not sure about the entry models but both are high quality.
Don't overlook Sony and Fuji mirrorless cameras. Both make some great cameras though I haven't looked at pricing closely to see how they match up with Nikon and Canon.