Find out how popular the first name Sammy has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Sammy by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Sammy is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 94% of people named Sammy being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 97 male babies and 28 female babies born with the name Sammy.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 28 baby girls were named Sammy in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Sammy

The name Sammy is a diminutive form of the Hebrew name Samuel, which means "name of God" or "God has heard." It originated in ancient Israel and is found in the Old Testament of the Bible. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to around 1020 BCE with the biblical prophet Samuel, who anointed both Saul and David as kings of Israel.

The name gained popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages due to its biblical origins. One of the earliest recorded instances of the diminutive form Sammy dates back to the 14th century in England. Sammy was also a common nickname for men named Samuel during this time period.

One notable figure in history with the name Sammy was Sammy Davis Jr., an American singer, dancer, actor, and comedian who was born in 1925 and died in 1990. He was a member of the famous Rat Pack alongside Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

Another famous Sammy was Sammy Sosa, a Dominican-American former professional baseball player who played for the Chicago Cubs and the Texas Rangers from 1989 to 2007. He was born in 1968 and is best known for his home run battle with Mark McGwire in 1998.

In the world of literature, Sammy was the name of the protagonist in the famous novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, published in 1884. The character's full name was Samuel Clemens, which was also Mark Twain's real name.

Sammy Morris was an influential figure in the late 19th century who was born in West Africa in 1862 and later became a student at Taylor University in Indiana. His life story inspired the establishment of the Sammy Morris Missionary Society, which supported missionary work in Africa.

Finally, Sammy Hagar, born in 1947, is a famous American rock singer and songwriter who was the lead vocalist for the rock band Van Halen from 1985 to 1996. He is also known for his successful solo career and his brand of tequila, Cabo Wabo.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Sammy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sammy, please contact us.

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