SAMUEL  

Gender: M
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: "told by God"

Popularity in 2008: #28

Long a popular Old Testament classic, Samuel has just dropped out of the Top 25, but still with over twelve thousand baby boys receiving it annually. A cross-cultural, multi-nicknamed choice, which some see as overused, others think is as cool as Samuel L. Jackson.

Variations:
Samuell, Sammy, Samy, Samualle, Samual, Sammie, Sam

International Variations:
Samo, Samko (Czech) Samuli (Finnish) Zamiel (German) Samouel (Greek) Shmuel (Hebrew) Samu, Sami, Samuka (Hungarian) Somhairle (Irish) Samuele (Italian) Samaru (Japanese) Samuelis (Lithuanian) Samoyla, Samvel, Samuil (Russian) Samuelito (Spanish) Sawyl (Welsh) Shem, Shemuel, Schmuel (Yiddish)

People who like Samuel also like:

Rose, Finn

Samuel is being discussed in our message boards:

• Archer: how trendy?
• Modelicious
• Baby Boy WDYT of the possible names?
• Best of British - some Telegraph birth announcements
• Mayflower Names!

Read Nameberry blog posts about Samuel:

• THE LOST BOYS’ NAMES OF 1880
• SCOTTISH BABY NAMES: What's 'in' in Inverness?
• NO EXPIRATION DATE ON NAMES
• A DOZEN NEGLECTED BIBLICAL BOYS' NAMES
• LAST NAMES FIRST