Sam
5 countries#647 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Sam was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
128,810 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #647 · peaked in 1918 with 2,529 births
Most common in: New York, Texas, California, Illinois, Mississippi
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
25,865 births recorded 1975–2025 · currently #141 · peaked in 1996 with 1,787 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
20,559 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #293 · peaked in 1996 with 1,646 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
6,898 births recorded 1921–2022 · currently #300 · peaked in 2007 with 326 births
Most common in: Paris, Nord, Hauts-de-Seine, Rhône, Gironde
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
4,202 births recorded 1975–2025 · currently #144 · peaked in 2004 with 217 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
1,104 births recorded 1997–2025 · currently #149 · peaked in 2006 with 70 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
Sam’s rank among boys’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #461 | — |
| 2007 | #451 | ↑10 |
| 2008 | #457 | ↓6 |
| 2009 | #468 | ↓11 |
| 2010 | #471 | ↓3 |
| 2011 | #481 | ↓10 |
| 2012 | #517 | ↓36 |
| 2013 | #552 | ↓35 |
| 2014 | #533 | ↑19 |
| 2015 | #546 | ↓13 |
| 2016 | #579 | ↓33 |
| 2017 | #537 | ↑42 |
| 2018 | #604 | ↓67 |
| 2019 | #614 | ↓10 |
| 2020 | #655 | ↓41 |
| 2021 | #658 | ↓3 |
| 2022 | #658 | — |
| 2023 | #676 | ↓18 |
| 2024 | #650 | ↑26 |
| 2025 | #647 | ↑3 |
Frequently asked questions about Sam
Is Sam a popular name?
Yes — Sam currently ranks #647 among boys’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is Sam more common for boys or girls?
Sam is recorded predominantly as a boys’ name in official United States birth data.
When was Sam most popular?
Sam peaked in 1918 in United States, with 2,529 recorded births that year.
Is Sam rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, Sam’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #36 in 1880 to #647 in 2025.
How many babies have been named Sam?
At least 161,573 babies have been recorded with the name Sam across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Sam popular in more than one country?
Yes — Sam appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, England & Wales, France, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Sam?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to Sam include Azael, Chris, Anakin, Keanu.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Sam in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.