Shamuel first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Shamuel has been for the last 1 years (from 2013 to 2013) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Shamuel

A masculine Hebrew name meaning "name of God" or "the name is God".

Popularity of Shamuel by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Shamuel is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2013, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Shamuel.

Year Male Count Female Count
2013 5 0

The history of the first name Shamuel

The name Shamuel has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is a variant spelling of the Biblical name Samuel, which is derived from the Hebrew words "shem" (name) and "el" (God), meaning "name of God" or "God has heard."

The name Samuel is prominently mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, as the name of a revered prophet and judge who anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. Samuel played a crucial role in the transition of leadership from the period of the Judges to the establishment of the monarchy in ancient Israel.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Shamuel can be found in the Book of Samuel, which chronicles the life and deeds of the prophet. The name gained popularity among Jewish communities throughout history, and various spelling variations emerged, including Shamuel, Shmuel, and Shmuil.

Historically, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shamuel or its variants. One such figure was Shamuel HaNagid (993-1056), a prominent Jewish poet, scholar, and statesman who served as the vizier of the Caliphate of Granada in Andalusia (modern-day Spain).

Another prominent bearer of the name was Shamuel ibn Tibbon (1150-1230), a Jewish philosopher and translator who played a significant role in introducing the works of Maimonides and other Arabic scholars to the Hebrew-speaking world.

In the realm of religion, Shamuel Eidels (1555-1631), known as the Maharsha, was a renowned Talmudic scholar and rabbi who lived in Kraków, Poland, and authored influential commentaries on the Talmud.

Moving to more modern times, Shamuel Yosef Agnon (1888-1970) was an Israeli writer and Nobel laureate who made significant contributions to modern Hebrew literature and is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the Hebrew language.

Another notable figure was Shamuel Halevi Ish-Hurwitz (1806-1889), a prominent Lithuanian Jewish religious leader and Talmudic scholar who served as the Chief Rabbi of Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania) and played a pivotal role in the development of Orthodox Judaism in Eastern Europe.

These examples illustrate the rich history and significance of the name Shamuel, which has been borne by influential figures across various fields, including literature, religion, philosophy, and statesmanship, throughout the centuries.

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

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

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"Shamuel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 22, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/shamuel-meaning-and-history/.

"Shamuel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/shamuel-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 22 July, 2025

Shamuel first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/shamuel-meaning-and-history/.

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