ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 👦As Boy Name 1955 First Year 2026 Last Year 2017 Peak Year #1110 Peak Rank 5K Total Count 69 Years Active 👧As Girl Name 1945 First Year 2026 Last Year 2005 Peak Year #2729 Peak Rank 1K Total Count 75 Years Active Advertisement 🌍 ## Meaning & Origin of Sami What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. Sami, also Sammy or Samy, is a given name and surname of different origins and meanings, most prevalent in the Arab world and Scandinavia. Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sami%5F%28name%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sami%5F%28name%29) ### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name) * Finnish * Arabic * Turkish * Albanian * Urdu 📖 ## The Story of Sami ### As a girl name The earliest SSA record of Sami as a girl name dates back to 1945, when 5 babies received it. 2005 was its biggest year on record, with 39 newborns named Sami — #3,730 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,489 among girl names with 23 births, rising sharply (+23% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Samis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s. ### As a boy name American parents first put Sami on the record books as a boy name in 1955, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 174 Samis were born — ranking #1,110 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Samis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,279 among boy names with 155 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 5K Samis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s. ## Popularity Over Time Girls Boys ## Popularity by State 👧 Girls 👦 Boys ME WA MT ND MN WI MI NY VT NH MA OR ID SD IA IL IN OH PA NJ CT RI CA NV WY NE MO KY WV VA MD DE DC UT CO KS AR TN NC SC AK AZ NM OK LA MS AL GA HI TX FL Top 10 11-50 51-100 101-500 500+ No data 🔗 ## Variants & Related Forms of Sami Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Sami. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * Samppa * Samu * [Samuel](/samuel) * Samuli * [Samy](/samy) 🎶 ## Names that sound like Sami Phonetically similar names — useful when Sami is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Sammy](/sammy) * [Sammie](/sammie) * [Sammi](/sammi) * Samii * Semi * [Simi](/simi) * [Sani](/sani) * [Samy](/samy) * Samey * Seamy * [Sumi](/sumi) * Summy Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Sami What does the name Sami mean? Sami, also Sammy or Samy, is a given name and surname of different origins and meanings, most prevalent in the Arab world and Scandinavia. What is the origin of the name Sami? Sami has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Finnish, Arabic, Turkish, Albanian, Urdu. How popular is Sami in 2026? In 2026, Sami ranks #1,279 among boys' names in the U.S., with 155 babies given the name that year. When was Sami most popular? Sami reached its peak popularity in 2017, ranking #1,110 that year with 174 babies given the name. In which U.S. states is Sami most popular? Sami has historically been most popular in New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Sami. Is Sami a unisex name? Yes — Sami is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 21% of Samis assigned female and 79% assigned male historically. What names go well with Sami? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Sami include Josephine, Renato, Rodd. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. What are nicknames or variants of Sami? Common variants and related forms of Sami include Samppa, Samu, Samuel, Samuli, Samy. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms. ## Similar Names ### 👦 Similar Boy Names [👦JosephinePeak #1110](/josephine)[👦RenatoPeak #1110](/renato)[👦RoddPeak #1110](/rodd)[👦ElighPeak #1111](/eligh) ### 👧 Similar Girl Names [👧ManuelPeak #2729](/manuel)[👧RoneePeak #2729](/ronee)[👧MelessaPeak #2729](/melessa)[👧AnyPeak #2729](/any) Advertisement ## About the name Sami Sami is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1955 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Sami's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #1,110\. Use the chart and map above to compare Sami's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 2017 → ](/year/2017) * [ Names of the 2010s → ](/decade/2010s) * [ Names starting with "S" → ](/letter/s) * [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys) * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) * [ Browse unisex names → ](/names/unisex) Data sources * Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms). * Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/). * Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/). * Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). 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. Advertisement