Sam
Sam is a unisex given name. It is often short for other names, such as Samuel or Samantha.
- English
- Persian
- Persian Mythology
Meaning & Origin of Sam
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sam is a unisex given name. It is often short for other names, such as Samuel or Samantha.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Persian
- Persian Mythology
The Story of Sam
The earliest SSA record of Sam as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 457 babies received it. 1918 was its biggest year on record, with 2,505 newborns named Sam — #75 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Sam ranks #655 for baby boys with 422 births, gradually falling (-7%). All told, over 128K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Sam
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Sam. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Sam
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sam is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sam
What does the name Sam mean?
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How popular is Sam in 2026?
When was Sam most popular?
In which U.S. states is Sam most popular?
Is Sam a unisex name?
What names go well with Sam?
What are nicknames or variants of Sam?
About the name Sam
Sam is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 128K births in the dataset. Sam's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #30. Use the chart and map above to compare Sam's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.