Samman
A masculine name derived from Arabic, meaning "prosperous" or "wealthy".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Samman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Samman today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Samman births was 2022 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Samman. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Samman with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Samman. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2022
5 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2022 SSA rank
#13,976
Tracked since 2022
Popularity
Samman: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Samman by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Samman during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Samman
The name Samman has its origins in the Arabic language, where it is derived from the root word "samm" meaning "high" or "elevated." This name first appeared in the Middle Eastern region during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century AD.
In its earliest usage, Samman was a descriptive name given to individuals who were considered to be of high status, virtue, or noble character. It was a term of respect and honor, reflecting the esteem in which the bearer was held within their community.
The name Samman can be found mentioned in several ancient Arabic texts and literary works, such as the famous collection of poetry known as the "Mu'allaqat." These pre-Islamic poems, composed by renowned poets of the time, often included references to individuals bearing this name, further solidifying its cultural significance.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Samman was Abu Samman al-Khawlani, a prominent scholar and poet who lived in the 8th century AD in present-day Iraq. He was renowned for his expertise in Arabic literature and his contributions to the development of Islamic jurisprudence.
Another notable bearer of the name was Samman ibn Rashid al-Khuzai, a 9th-century military commander and governor who served under the Abbasid Caliphate. He played a crucial role in the expansion of the Islamic empire and the conquest of various territories.
In the 11th century, Samman ibn Ahmad al-Razi was a highly esteemed philosopher and physician from Persia. He made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and philosophy, and his works were widely studied and influential throughout the Islamic world.
During the Mamluk period in Egypt, which spanned from the 13th to the 16th centuries, there was a prominent Islamic scholar and judge named Samman ibn Muhammad al-Qudsi. He was renowned for his expertise in Islamic law and his dedication to upholding justice.
In the realm of literature, Samman ibn Qutaybah al-Bahili was a celebrated Arab poet who lived in the 9th century AD. His poetry was widely admired for its eloquence and depth, and he is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of Arabic literary tradition.
These are just a few examples of the many historical figures who bore the name Samman, each contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of the Islamic world and leaving an indelible mark on their respective fields.
People
Samman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Samman as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Samman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Samman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Samman going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Samman a common name?
We classify Samman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Samman most popular?
The single biggest year for Samman was 2022, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Samman is about 4 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Samman in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Samman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Samman in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Samman still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Samman in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Samman can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Samman?
Want to know how many Americans are named Samman? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.