Where does the name Samir come from?

Samir is a boy name of Arabic origin. "Sameer" is the more intuitive US spelling.

Is Samir a boy or a girl name?

Samir is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 10,174 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Samir in 2023?

Samir ranks #586 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2023 with 488 babies.

How do you pronounce Samir?

Samir is pronounced sa-MEER (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Samir?

Samir is also written as Sameer.

A name from Arabic · Boy

Samir

سَمِير

"Evening companion, one with whom you talk through the night." A reference to the Bedouin tradition of storytelling around the fire.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 66-year arc in numbers.

10,174 U.S. births recorded from 1957–2023.

Popularity · 1957–2023

488 births in 2023

1957 1990 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

S"Evening companion, one with whom you talk through the night." A reference to the Bedouin tradition of storytelling around the fire.

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: s-m-r — س-م-ر, evening conversation

Regional variants

"Sameer" is the more intuitive US spelling. Also popular in Indian-American and Pakistani-American families.

Variants & spellings

1 ways to spell "Samir".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Sameer Most common

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Samir.

S
Sameer Gadhia (singer, Young the Giant)

Quick answers

People often ask about Samir.

What does the name Samir mean?: Samir means "Evening companion, one with whom you talk through the night." A reference to the Bedouin tradition of storytelling around the fire.
Where does the name Samir come from?: Samir is a boy name of Arabic origin. "Sameer" is the more intuitive US spelling.
Is Samir a boy or a girl name?: Samir is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 10,174 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Samir in 2023?: Samir ranks #586 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2023 with 488 babies.
How do you pronounce Samir?: Samir is pronounced sa-MEER (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Samir?: Samir is also written as Sameer.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.