Samurai

Historically, the samurai were a professional warrior class in pre-industrial Japan, who would train from a young age to be highly skilled in archery, swordmanship, and fighting on horseback. It is believed their name comes from the word saburau, and means "one who serves", in reference to the fact that they would serve the lords of Japan.

While the samurai had lost most of their status and power by the 1870s, owing to foreign trade, pressure from America, the introduction of modern firearms, and the shift to capitalism, the warrior figure remains prominent in films, folktales, and anime.

But why is Samurai in the Nameberry Database? Title names, regal names, and wild word choices have been popular in recent years, with Saint, Kaiser, Legend, and Royal included in the contemporary name pool. Additionally, several Japanese names have begun to be used more internationally, such as Kenji, Kenzo, and Raiden, making Samurai less unlikely than at first glance.

In 2026, Food Network star Duff Goldman and his wife Johnna named their son Samurai Jack — quite the departure from their old daughter Josephine's name. Goldman has stated that he'd always wanted to name his son Sam, but liked the idea of having something totally surprising on the birth certificate, and Samurai is that.

With nicknames Sam, Sammy. Rai, and Sai, the celebrity couple aren't the first to use it in the US. It has been given in small numbers since 2004, in fact.

Pronounced SAM-uh-ry.

As of October 2026, Samurai ranked #13834 in US births in 2024 SSA, peaked at #8714 in 2021.