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

Popularity of Samuel by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Samuel is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Samuel being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 7,973 male babies and 10 female babies born with the name Samuel.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 10 baby girls were named Samuel in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Samuel

The name Samuel has Hebrew origins, derived from the Hebrew words "shama" meaning "to hear" and "el" meaning "God". It translates to "name of God" or "God has heard". The name dates back to around the 11th century BCE and was prominent in ancient Israel.

Samuel was the name of a celebrated biblical prophet and judge who played a pivotal role in anointing the first two kings of the Kingdom of Israel, Saul and David. The biblical book of Samuel is named after him and chronicles his life and deeds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Samuel can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where the prophet Samuel is mentioned. In the New Testament, Samuel is also cited as a revered figure in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

Throughout history, the name Samuel has been borne by various notable individuals. One of the most famous was Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), an English writer, critic, and lexicographer best known for his seminal work, "A Dictionary of the English Language".

Another prominent Samuel was Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, an American writer and humorist renowned for his novels "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".

In the realm of science, Samuel Morse (1791-1872) was an American inventor and artist who co-developed the Morse code and the telegraph system, revolutionizing long-distance communication.

Samuel Colt (1814-1862) was an American inventor and industrialist who revolutionized the firearms industry with his innovative revolver designs and manufacturing techniques.

Lastly, Samuel Goldwyn (1882-1974) was a Polish-American film producer and co-founder of Goldwyn Pictures, one of the most successful independent film studios in the early 20th century.

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 Samuel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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