Boy name · Hebrew
Samuel
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: name of GodSamuel is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "name of God". It is used in English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.
- Meaning
- Name of God
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #18 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Samuel
As a boy's name, Samuel comes from Hebrew and means "name of God". It is used in English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.
In Portuguese, say sah-moo-EW. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Samuel is also a surname: the 1,408th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 24,616 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Samuel on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Samuel on 5 lists.
“Name of God; Hebrew. Prophet who anointed Saul and David”
From Biblical names, biblical names for boys
“Name of God; Hebrew. Biblical classic with a soft sound”
From Boy middle names, classic boy middle names
“Name of God, or God has heard; Hebrew. A 2025 top 10 name. Say sah-moo-EW”
From Brazilian names, popular Brazilian boy names
“Name of God, or God has heard; Hebrew. One of 12 boy names in the US top 100 every year since 1880”
From Classic boy names, timeless boy names
“Raised in the sanctuary, later a prophet and judge”
From Priest names, biblical priest names
How popular is Samuel?
- US rank in 2025
- #18
- 8,334 babies, 4,879 per million boys
- Best rank
- #17 in 1880
- Most babies: 14,813 in 2001
- Babies since 1880
- At least 820,196
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 8,334 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 6,886 per million |
| 1900s | 6,003 per million |
| 1910s | 5,118 per million |
| 1920s | 3,935 per million |
| 1930s | 3,041 per million |
| 1940s | 2,897 per million |
| 1950s | 2,659 per million |
| 1960s | 2,297 per million |
| 1970s | 2,912 per million |
| 1980s | 3,979 per million |
| 1990s | 6,448 per million |
| 2000s | 6,946 per million |
| 2010s | 5,751 per million |
| 2020s | 4,856 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #21 | #21 | #21 | #22 | #25 | #23 | #19 | #19 | #17 | #18 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Samuel
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Samcommon English nickname
- Sammycommon English nickname
Names spelled like Samuel
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- SaulAsked for, prayed for (Hebrew, boy)
- SameerBreeze, wind (Sanskrit, boy)
- SamehForgiving, kind (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Samuel
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
Samuel: common questions
What does the name Samuel mean?
Samuel comes from Hebrew and means "name of God".
Is Samuel a boy or girl name?
Samuel is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 8 girls and 8,334 boys in the US were named Samuel, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Samuel?
Common nicknames for Samuel include Sam and Sammy.
How popular is the name Samuel?
Samuel ranked #18 in the US in 2025, with 8,334 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Samuel?
Names spelled like Samuel include Saul, Sameer and Sameh.
What middle names go with Samuel?
Middle names that flow well with Samuel include Cedar, Dean, Drake, Elton and Lamar. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.