At a glance
- In short
- Samuel is a Hebrew name meaning God has heard or asked of God.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #18 of boy names
- Babies in 2025
- 8,334 (0.45% of boys)
- Trend
- Rising #25 in 2020 to #18 in 2025
- Peak
- #17 in 1880–1884 and 2024
- Top state
- #7 in Alabama
- First recorded
- 1880
Meaning of Samuel
Samuel comes from the Hebrew name Shemu'el. It is formed from Hebrew elements for name and God, though its exact derivation is disputed. Standard name dictionaries most often give the meaning "God has heard" or "asked of God," while some explain it as "name of God." The Hebrew pronunciation is SAH-moo-el; in English, American and British speakers both say SAM-yoo-ul.
In the Hebrew Bible, Samuel is the prophet who anoints Saul as king and later David, and the books of 1 and 2 Samuel are named for him. He is also remembered as a judge and as the child of Hannah, who dedicated him to God. The first book recounts his birth, calling and leadership; the second centers on David. These biblical associations have kept the name familiar in Jewish and Christian cultures.
Well-known bearers include the actor Samuel L. Jackson and the inventor Samuel Morse, who helped develop the telegraph and Morse code.
In the United States, Samuel ranked 91st in 1960 and 18th in 2025, when 8,334 babies were given the name. Births peaked at 14,813 in 2001. It remains a familiar and widely used choice.
How to pronounce Samuel
English
- Pronounced SAM-yoo-ul /ˈsæm.ju.l̩/
Hebrew
- Pronounced SAH-moo-el /ˈsa.mu.el/
Popularity of Samuel in the U.S.
Samuel was the #18 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 8,334 babies. It peaked at #17 in 1880–1884 and 2024. It has been in the top 100 since 1880.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1880–2025 146 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8,334 | 18 | ▼ 1 |
| 2024 | 8,355 | 17 | ▲ 2 |
| 2023 | 8,038 | 19 | – |
| 2022 | 8,427 | 19 | ▲ 4 |
| 2021 | 8,580 | 23 | ▲ 2 |
| 2020 | 8,594 | 25 | ▼ 3 |
| 2019 | 9,322 | 22 | ▼ 1 |
| 2018 | 9,854 | 21 | – |
| 2017 | 10,449 | 21 | – |
| 2016 | 10,621 | 21 | ▲ 2 |
| 2015 | 10,905 | 23 | – |
| 2014 | 11,029 | 23 | ▲ 2 |
| 2013 | 11,141 | 25 | – |
| 2012 | 11,470 | 25 | ▲ 1 |
| 2011 | 11,366 | 26 | ▼ 2 |
| 2010 | 11,971 | 24 | – |
| 2009 | 12,181 | 24 | ▲ 3 |
| 2008 | 12,774 | 27 | ▼ 2 |
| 2007 | 13,367 | 25 | – |
| 2006 | 13,652 | 25 | ▼ 4 |
| 2005 | 14,271 | 21 | ▲ 2 |
| 2004 | 14,131 | 23 | – |
| 2003 | 14,691 | 23 | ▲ 2 |
| 2002 | 14,579 | 25 | ▲ 1 |
| 2001 | 14,813 | 26 | ▲ 2 |
| 2000 | 14,188 | 28 | ▼ 1 |
| 1999 | 14,049 | 27 | ▲ 1 |
| 1998 | 13,912 | 28 | ▼ 1 |
| 1997 | 14,237 | 27 | ▲ 3 |
| 1996 | 13,629 | 30 | ▲ 3 |
| 1995 | 12,440 | 33 | – |
| 1994 | 12,147 | 33 | ▲ 4 |
| 1993 | 11,711 | 37 | ▲ 3 |
| 1992 | 11,344 | 40 | ▼ 1 |
| 1991 | 11,234 | 39 | ▲ 6 |
| 1990 | 10,894 | 45 | ▲ 2 |
| 1989 | 10,107 | 47 | ▼ 2 |
| 1988 | 9,564 | 45 | ▲ 5 |
| 1987 | 8,576 | 50 | ▲ 2 |
| 1986 | 7,579 | 52 | ▲ 2 |
| 1985 | 7,009 | 54 | ▲ 1 |
| 1984 | 6,362 | 55 | ▼ 1 |
| 1983 | 6,195 | 54 | ▲ 2 |
| 1982 | 6,014 | 56 | ▼ 2 |
| 1981 | 6,036 | 54 | – |
| 1980 | 6,014 | 54 | ▲ 1 |
| 1979 | 5,687 | 55 | ▲ 2 |
| 1978 | 5,394 | 57 | ▲ 3 |
| 1977 | 5,257 | 60 | ▼ 1 |
| 1976 | 5,025 | 59 | ▲ 2 |
| 1975 | 4,619 | 61 | ▼ 1 |
| 1974 | 4,672 | 60 | ▲ 6 |
| 1973 | 4,267 | 66 | – |
| 1972 | 4,213 | 66 | – |
| 1971 | 4,407 | 66 | ▼ 4 |
| 1970 | 4,558 | 62 | ▲ 2 |
| 1969 | 4,430 | 64 | ▲ 2 |
| 1968 | 4,123 | 66 | ▲ 3 |
| 1967 | 4,232 | 69 | ▲ 12 |
| 1966 | 4,155 | 81 | ▲ 3 |
| 1965 | 4,395 | 84 | ▲ 2 |
| 1964 | 4,462 | 86 | ▲ 1 |
| 1963 | 4,520 | 87 | ▲ 1 |
| 1962 | 4,552 | 88 | ▲ 1 |
| 1961 | 4,667 | 89 | ▲ 2 |
| 1960 | 4,711 | 91 | ▼ 5 |
| 1959 | 4,953 | 86 | ▼ 1 |
| 1958 | 5,051 | 85 | ▼ 3 |
| 1957 | 5,236 | 82 | ▼ 8 |
| 1956 | 5,585 | 74 | ▼ 3 |
| 1955 | 5,535 | 71 | – |
| 1954 | 5,634 | 71 | ▼ 1 |
| 1953 | 5,423 | 70 | ▼ 3 |
| 1952 | 5,647 | 67 | – |
| 1951 | 5,476 | 67 | ▼ 5 |
| 1950 | 5,227 | 62 | – |
| 1949 | 5,356 | 62 | ▲ 8 |
| 1948 | 5,002 | 70 | ▲ 2 |
| 1947 | 5,110 | 72 | ▼ 2 |
| 1946 | 4,523 | 70 | ▼ 9 |
| 1945 | 3,957 | 61 | ▲ 1 |
| 1944 | 3,946 | 62 | – |
| 1943 | 4,143 | 62 | ▼ 3 |
| 1942 | 4,190 | 59 | ▲ 6 |
| 1941 | 3,538 | 65 | – |
| 1940 | 3,364 | 65 | ▼ 2 |
| 1939 | 3,254 | 63 | ▼ 1 |
| 1938 | 3,243 | 62 | ▲ 4 |
| 1937 | 3,027 | 66 | ▲ 1 |
| 1936 | 2,893 | 67 | ▼ 5 |
| 1935 | 3,149 | 62 | ▲ 4 |
| 1934 | 3,137 | 66 | ▼ 5 |
| 1933 | 3,111 | 61 | ▼ 5 |
| 1932 | 3,411 | 56 | – |
| 1931 | 3,379 | 56 | ▼ 1 |
| 1930 | 3,531 | 55 | ▼ 2 |
| 1929 | 3,567 | 53 | ▼ 1 |
| 1928 | 3,844 | 52 | ▼ 3 |
| 1927 | 4,189 | 49 | ▼ 1 |
| 1926 | 4,180 | 48 | ▼ 2 |
| 1925 | 4,405 | 46 | ▼ 1 |
| 1924 | 4,591 | 45 | – |
| 1923 | 4,578 | 45 | ▼ 2 |
| 1922 | 4,600 | 43 | ▲ 1 |
| 1921 | 4,754 | 44 | – |
| 1920 | 4,654 | 44 | ▼ 1 |
| 1919 | 4,472 | 43 | – |
| 1918 | 4,772 | 43 | ▼ 1 |
| 1917 | 4,490 | 42 | ▼ 1 |
| 1916 | 4,399 | 41 | ▼ 2 |
| 1915 | 4,351 | 39 | ▼ 4 |
| 1914 | 3,703 | 35 | ▲ 1 |
| 1913 | 2,850 | 36 | ▼ 6 |
| 1912 | 2,602 | 30 | – |
| 1911 | 1,398 | 30 | ▲ 2 |
| 1910 | 1,129 | 32 | – |
| 1909 | 983 | 32 | ▲ 1 |
| 1908 | 960 | 33 | ▼ 1 |
| 1907 | 892 | 32 | ▲ 1 |
| 1906 | 783 | 33 | ▼ 3 |
| 1905 | 856 | 30 | ▲ 4 |
| 1904 | 727 | 34 | ▼ 3 |
| 1903 | 741 | 31 | ▲ 2 |
| 1902 | 702 | 33 | – |
| 1901 | 628 | 33 | – |
| 1900 | 877 | 33 | ▼ 3 |
| 1899 | 704 | 30 | ▲ 2 |
| 1898 | 749 | 32 | ▼ 4 |
| 1897 | 759 | 28 | ▲ 3 |
| 1896 | 734 | 31 | ▼ 6 |
| 1895 | 814 | 25 | ▲ 1 |
| 1894 | 776 | 26 | ▼ 6 |
| 1893 | 851 | 20 | – |
| 1892 | 902 | 20 | – |
| 1891 | 753 | 20 | – |
| 1890 | 815 | 20 | – |
| 1889 | 810 | 20 | ▼ 2 |
| 1888 | 931 | 18 | – |
| 1887 | 802 | 18 | – |
| 1886 | 870 | 18 | – |
| 1885 | 888 | 18 | ▼ 1 |
| 1884 | 945 | 17 | – |
| 1883 | 937 | 17 | – |
| 1882 | 1,003 | 17 | – |
| 1881 | 919 | 17 | – |
| 1880 | 1,024 | 17 | – |
Samuel by state
Samuel ranks #7 in Alabama and is in the top 10 in 2 states and the District of Columbia (2025).
Rank by state 48 states and DC
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7 | 199 |
| Washington | 9 | 246 |
| District of Columbia | 10 | 33 |
| Indiana | 12 | 192 |
| Arkansas | 12 | 99 |
| North Carolina | 13 | 334 |
| Oklahoma | 13 | 120 |
| Tennessee | 14 | 249 |
| South Carolina | 14 | 148 |
| Alaska | 14 | 25 |
| Virginia | 15 | 230 |
| Missouri | 15 | 175 |
| Kentucky | 15 | 148 |
| Louisiana | 15 | 113 |
| Oregon | 15 | 103 |
| Texas | 16 | 987 |
| Massachusetts | 17 | 204 |
| Georgia | 19 | 260 |
| Mississippi | 19 | 65 |
| New Mexico | 19 | 45 |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | 326 |
| Nebraska | 21 | 57 |
| Idaho | 21 | 56 |
| Florida | 22 | 521 |
| Maryland | 22 | 132 |
| Kansas | 22 | 81 |
| Arizona | 23 | 177 |
| West Virginia | 23 | 43 |
| Nevada | 25 | 69 |
| Wisconsin | 27 | 126 |
| Montana | 27 | 28 |
| Utah | 28 | 102 |
| Ohio | 30 | 260 |
| Illinois | 31 | 238 |
| Connecticut | 31 | 82 |
| Colorado | 32 | 137 |
| North Dakota | 32 | 22 |
| Delaware | 32 | 21 |
| Minnesota | 33 | 115 |
| California | 34 | 821 |
| Iowa | 34 | 70 |
| Hawaii | 34 | 19 |
| New Jersey | 35 | 199 |
| Michigan | 36 | 185 |
| New York | 38 | 374 |
| New Hampshire | 46 | 27 |
| South Dakota | 46 | 21 |
| Rhode Island | 52 | 17 |
| Maine | 74 | 16 |
| U.S. territories | ||
| Puerto Rico | 57 | 25 |
Notable people named Samuel
- Samuel Leroy Jackson is a celebrated American actor whose films have grossed over 27 billion worldwide, making him the highest grossing actor ever, and he received the 2022 Academy Honorary Award.
- Samuel Colt was an American inventor and industrialist who founded the Colt firearms company and pioneered mass produced revolvers.
- Samuel Morse was an American painter turned inventor who co-developed Morse code and advanced the single wire telegraph into commercial use.
- American serial killer Samuel Little was convicted of eight murders, confessed to 93, had at least 60 victims confirmed by the FBI, the most in American history, and sketched 26 of his victims not all linked to known cases.
- Samuel Ting is a Taiwanese American physicist and 1976 Nobel laureate for the discovery of the J psi particle and an MIT professor.
More people named Samuel 5 more
- Samuel "Samu" Sánchez González is a Spanish former professional road cyclist who won gold in the road race at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was known as one of the peloton's best descenders.
- Sir Samuel White Baker was an English explorer and abolitionist who held Ottoman titles of Pasha and Major General and governed the Equatorial Nile Basin from 1869 to 1873, founding the Province of Equatoria.
- Samuel Goldwyn was a Polish-born American film pioneer who produced the first major motion picture in the United States, helped found major studios, and received the Irving G Thalberg Award 1947, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award 1958, and the Golden Globe Cecil B DeMille Award 1973.
- Samuel Greg was an Irish born industrial pioneer who built Quarry Bank Mill, fostered a model village for his workers, and also owned a slave plantation in the West Indies.
- Samuel Huntington was a Connecticut Founding Father who signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, led the Continental Congress, and later served as Connecticut governor until his death, becoming the first United States governor to die in office.