Updated November 2026
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Hebrew
"told by God"
Samuel has been so popular for so long that it's hard to believe it's still climbing, ranking in the US Top 20, just as it did all the way back in the 1880s. Friendly, solid, and versatile, it has…
Hebrew, feminization of Samuel
The origins of Samantha are not entirely clear, although it is commonly thought to be a feminization of Samuel with the suffix derived from the Greek anthos , meaning "flower." Samantha has been in…
English, diminutive of Samuel
Sam has long been used on its own for boys, as accepted standing by itself as it is as a short form of Samuel. Straightforward and down-to-earth, Sam is the name of the son of the co-stars of The…
Variation of Samuel, Hebrew
Shmuel is a Modern Hebrew variation of Samuel used almost exclusively by Orthodox Jewish families. Very popular in Israel, Shmuel also appeared on the US Top 1000 list in 2017, 2022, and 2023 and is…
Diminutive of Samantha
Sam as a name standing on its own was given to only 18 girls in 2021, versus over 400 boys. But as a short form it's appealing and down-to-earth for both sexes, and heard far more often: There were…
Russian; Bulgarian, from Hebrew
The Russian and Bulgarian variant of Samuel.
Italian, feminine variation of Samuel
An Italian feminization of Samuel that comes off as dated, we can't imagine many parents choosing Samuela over Samantha.
Diminutive of Samuel, Hebrew
Sambo went from being a short form of the venerable name Samuel to being a racial slur after the popularity of the children's book Little Black Sambo, first published in 1899 but by the 1930s decried…
Finnish, Spanish, and Hungarian diminutive of Samuel, Hebrew
A multicultural nickname for Samuel. The Spanish and Finnish variation is pronounced SAH-moo, while the Hungarian version is SHAW-moo.
Italian variation of Samuel, Hebrew
This classic Italian Samuel variation is just as compelling as the original, especially if you have Italian heritage.
Hungarian variation of Samuel, Hebrew
Welsh, from Hebrew
The Welsh form of Samuel.