Girl · #8,561 in 2026

Samala

Samala is located on the eastern outskirts of the town of Guumays in Sool, Somalia. It was the site of the first skirmish between Daraawiish and British forces when, on 30 May 1901, Eric Swayne's men attacked the Mahamud Garad tribe, one of the three major subclans of Dhulbahante alongside Farah Garad and Bah Nugaal. It was also the site of the first British-Darwiish battle on June 2.

Current Rank
#8,561
Peak Rank
#5,515 (1975)
Total Babies
57
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1970
First Year
1978
Last Year
1975
Peak Year
#5515
Peak Rank
57
Total Count
8
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Samala

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Samala is located on the eastern outskirts of the town of Guumays in Sool, Somalia. It was the site of the first skirmish between Daraawiish and British forces when, on 30 May 1901, Eric Swayne's men attacked the Mahamud Garad tribe, one of the three major subclans of Dhulbahante alongside Farah Garad and Bah Nugaal. It was also the site of the first British-Darwiish battle on June 2.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Samala

Samala first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1970, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1975, when 10 Samalas were born — ranking #5,515 that year. As of 2026, Samala ranks #8,561 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 57 Samalas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Samala

Phonetically similar names — useful when Samala is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Somali
  • Semilla
  • Simila
  • Somalia
  • Somal
  • Simile
  • Simili
  • Semele
  • Sinhala
  • Simla
  • Samoa
  • Smalley

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Samala

What does the name Samala mean?
Samala is located on the eastern outskirts of the town of Guumays in Sool, Somalia. It was the site of the first skirmish between Daraawiish and British forces when, on 30 May 1901, Eric Swayne's men attacked the Mahamud Garad tribe, one of the three major subclans of Dhulbahante alongside Farah Garad and Bah Nugaal. It was also the site of the first British-Darwiish battle on June 2.
How popular is Samala in 2026?
In 2026, Samala ranks #8,561 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Samala most popular?
Samala reached its peak popularity in 1975, ranking #5,515 that year with 10 babies given the name.
Is Samala a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Samala is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Samala?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Samala include Barbarita, Justa, Obdulia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Samala

Samala is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1970 and has accumulated 57 births in the dataset. Samala's peak popularity came in 1975 when it ranked #5,515. Use the chart and map above to compare Samala's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.