Where does the name Sam come from?

Sam is a boy name of Hebrew origin.

Is Sam a boy or a girl name?

Sam is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Sam are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Sam in 2023?

Sam ranks #9498 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 2,529 babies.

How do you pronounce Sam?

Sam is pronounced SAM (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Sam?

Sam is also written as Sammy, Samuel, Samson.

A name from Hebrew · Boy

Sam

A short form of Samuel (Hebrew Shemu'el, 'heard by God' or 'name of God') or Samson (Hebrew Shimshon, 'sun'). So embedded in American English that 'Uncle Sam' became the personification of the United States.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

126,381 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

414 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

SA short form of Samuel (Hebrew Shemu'el, 'heard by God' or 'name of God') or Samson (Hebrew Shimshon, 'sun'). So embedded in American English that 'Uncle Sam' became the personification of the United States.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Sam".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Sammy Most common Samuel Samson

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Sam.

S
Sam Smith (singer)
S
Sam Cooke (soul pioneer)
S
Uncle Sam (U.S. personification)

Quick answers

People often ask about Sam.

What does the name Sam mean?: Sam means a short form of Samuel (Hebrew Shemu'el, 'heard by God' or 'name of God') or Samson (Hebrew Shimshon, 'sun'). So embedded in American English that 'Uncle Sam' became the personification of the United States.
Where does the name Sam come from?: Sam is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
Is Sam a boy or a girl name?: Sam is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Sam are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Sam in 2023?: Sam ranks #9498 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 2,529 babies.
How do you pronounce Sam?: Sam is pronounced SAM (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Sam?: Sam is also written as Sammy, Samuel, Samson.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.