Sam
How to say it: SAM · /ˈsæm/
Short form of Samuel, from Hebrew 'Shemuel' meaning 'God has heard' or 'name of God'.
Sam was the 609th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 428 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 18% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #628 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #609 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 428 |
| Share of births | 1 in 7,746 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −18% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #628 |
| In France, 2025 | #293 among boys’ names, 180 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Dating far back, Sam found its greatest strength in the 1880s and now sits far below that era. Continued softening is expected in the next few years.
What goes with it
Short and breathy in a single syllable, it feels warm and easy to carry across languages. Ben shares that simplicity, as does Jack.
Nicknames
- Sammy
Honouring a Sam in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Sam is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #293 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #366. Ireland: #50.
Famous people named Sam
- Sam Altman (born 1985)American entrepreneur and investor
- Sam Worthington (born 1976)Australian and English actor
- Sam Rockwell (born 1968)American actor
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Keep exploring
About as popular as Sam
Find names you'll both love, starting with Sam
The one-minute style quiz.