Samuel
Pronounced S AA1 M UW1 EH1 L (ARPABET)
- 2 syllables
- Peaked 2001
- 145 years in use
- Biblical
- 1 spelling
How popular is Samuel?
Samuel is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 816,359 children — the 38th most common boys' name on record.
It has been slipping, down 25% on the previous decade. Its best single year was 2001, when 14,909 children were given it.
Samuell is counted with it here, since the two are pronounced identically.
Spelling variants
These spellings sound identical to Samuel and are counted together with it, which is why the totals here are higher than a single-spelling count.
- Samuell
Nicknames
Characteristics
- Biblical (Person)
- 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
- Pronunciations:
- S AA1 M UW1 EH1 L · S AE1 M Y UW0 L
- Stress pattern:
- 111 · 10
- Syllables:
- 2
Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.
Names like Samuel
Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.
Sibling names for Samuel
Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.
Frequently asked questions
- How popular is the name Samuel?
- Samuel ranks 38th among boys' names in US records, with 816,359 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 93,328.
- Is Samuel a unisex name?
- No. Samuel is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
- When was Samuel most popular?
- 2001, when 14,909 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.
- What are common nicknames for Samuel?
- Sam, Sammy. These are recorded as separate names in their own right, so each has its own page and its own popularity curve.
- How else is Samuel spelled?
- Samuell. All of these sound the same and are counted together in the totals on this page.