Sam
#5,238 for girls in 2025, 24 births · #647 for boys in 2025, 428 births
Given to boys 98.8% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1882 · 555 births
- Debut · boys
- 457 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 47 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 127,234since 1880
Sam over time
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #5,238 | 24 | #647 | 428 |
| 2024 | #6,394 | 18 | #650 | 425 |
| 2023 | #8,989 | 11 | #676 | 403 |
| 2022 | #6,464 | 18 | #658 | 418 |
| 2021 | #6,174 | 19 | #658 | 412 |
| 2020 | #8,406 | 12 | #655 | 402 |
| 2019 | #7,716 | 14 | #614 | 443 |
| 2018 | #8,146 | 13 | #604 | 453 |
| 2017 | #8,776 | 12 | #537 | 528 |
| 2016 | #6,901 | 17 | #579 | 478 |
| 2015 | #8,931 | 12 | #546 | 523 |
| 2014 | #8,485 | 13 | #533 | 523 |
| 2013 | #8,135 | 14 | #552 | 480 |
| 2012 | #16,869 | 5 | #517 | 510 |
| 2011 | #8,196 | 14 | #481 | 546 |
| 2010 | #9,231 | 12 | #471 | 550 |
| 2009 | #8,058 | 15 | #468 | 582 |
| 2008 | #6,350 | 21 | #457 | 608 |
| 2007 | #11,630 | 9 | #451 | 615 |
| 2006 | #7,482 | 16 | #461 | 586 |
| 2005 | #8,883 | 12 | #460 | 557 |
| 2004 | #12,761 | 7 | #435 | 595 |
| 2003 | — | #436 | 577 | |
| 2002 | — | #442 | 561 | |
| 2001 | #9,351 | 10 | #437 | 554 |
| 2000 | #13,154 | 6 | #460 | 517 |
| 1999 | #12,688 | 6 | #459 | 498 |
| 1998 | — | #457 | 492 | |
| 1997 | #13,724 | 5 | #454 | 484 |
| 1996 | #9,581 | 8 | #428 | 527 |
| 1995 | — | #404 | 569 | |
| 1994 | — | #411 | 554 | |
| 1993 | #7,038 | 12 | #414 | 561 |
| 1992 | — | #400 | 575 | |
| 1991 | #10,271 | 7 | #383 | 591 |
| 1990 | #12,958 | 5 | #396 | 586 |
| 1989 | #12,362 | 5 | #414 | 503 |
| 1988 | #10,386 | 6 | #413 | 479 |
| 1987 | #9,825 | 6 | #392 | 483 |
| 1986 | #7,749 | 8 | #441 | 381 |
| 1985 | #6,031 | 11 | #461 | 348 |
| 1984 | #9,144 | 6 | #444 | 363 |
| 1983 | #5,824 | 11 | #434 | 360 |
| 1982 | #8,224 | 7 | #433 | 373 |
| 1981 | — | #424 | 384 | |
| 1980 | #5,544 | 12 | #429 | 364 |
| 1979 | #8,061 | 7 | #410 | 374 |
| 1978 | #7,649 | 7 | #377 | 417 |
| 1977 | #9,652 | 5 | #418 | 357 |
| 1976 | — | #388 | 397 | |
| 1975 | #5,984 | 9 | #376 | 421 |
| 1974 | #7,680 | 6 | #366 | 436 |
| 1973 | #7,435 | 6 | #351 | 476 |
| 1972 | #7,292 | 6 | #346 | 497 |
| 1971 | #5,136 | 10 | #340 | 541 |
| 1970 | #4,246 | 13 | #320 | 600 |
| 1969 | #5,456 | 8 | #318 | 583 |
| 1968 | #5,147 | 8 | #319 | 568 |
| 1967 | #4,053 | 11 | #299 | 607 |
| 1966 | #3,400 | 14 | #284 | 678 |
| 1965 | #3,149 | 16 | #267 | 774 |
| 1964 | #4,636 | 9 | #248 | 955 |
| 1963 | #4,539 | 9 | #236 | 1,017 |
| 1962 | #2,539 | 23 | #236 | 1,070 |
| 1961 | #3,060 | 17 | #229 | 1,194 |
| 1960 | #3,095 | 16 | #228 | 1,211 |
| 1959 | #3,436 | 13 | #214 | 1,298 |
| 1958 | #3,379 | 13 | #225 | 1,177 |
| 1957 | #3,930 | 10 | #232 | 1,069 |
| 1956 | #3,696 | 11 | #238 | 951 |
| 1955 | #3,571 | 11 | #238 | 874 |
| 1954 | #3,019 | 14 | #238 | 873 |
| 1953 | #3,269 | 12 | #229 | 880 |
| 1952 | #3,552 | 10 | #215 | 940 |
| 1951 | #2,694 | 15 | #201 | 1,034 |
| 1950 | #3,423 | 10 | #207 | 956 |
| 1949 | #3,892 | 8 | #188 | 1,104 |
| 1948 | #3,350 | 10 | #176 | 1,238 |
| 1947 | #4,007 | 8 | #169 | 1,416 |
| 1946 | #3,665 | 8 | #164 | 1,304 |
| 1945 | #3,676 | 7 | #161 | 1,137 |
| 1944 | #2,946 | 10 | #157 | 1,212 |
| 1943 | #2,352 | 15 | #153 | 1,322 |
| 1942 | #2,117 | 17 | #152 | 1,280 |
| 1941 | #2,532 | 12 | #150 | 1,191 |
| 1940 | #2,737 | 10 | #150 | 1,147 |
| 1939 | #2,922 | 9 | #145 | 1,121 |
| 1938 | #2,113 | 15 | #141 | 1,162 |
| 1937 | #2,317 | 13 | #132 | 1,213 |
| 1936 | #1,741 | 19 | #131 | 1,236 |
| 1935 | #2,731 | 10 | #126 | 1,364 |
| 1934 | #3,449 | 7 | #127 | 1,321 |
| 1933 | #1,835 | 18 | #121 | 1,351 |
| 1932 | #1,877 | 18 | #119 | 1,454 |
| 1931 | #1,750 | 20 | #118 | 1,460 |
| 1930 | #2,023 | 17 | #110 | 1,668 |
| 1929 | #1,393 | 30 | #104 | 1,730 |
| 1928 | #1,366 | 32 | #109 | 1,759 |
| 1927 | #1,771 | 23 | #102 | 1,904 |
| 1926 | #1,830 | 22 | #92 | 2,033 |
| 1925 | #1,700 | 25 | #91 | 2,092 |
| 1924 | #1,533 | 30 | #91 | 2,123 |
| 1923 | #1,736 | 24 | #89 | 2,204 |
| 1922 | #1,575 | 28 | #84 | 2,349 |
| 1921 | #1,668 | 26 | #85 | 2,367 |
| 1920 | #1,751 | 23 | #84 | 2,283 |
| 1919 | #1,270 | 36 | #75 | 2,384 |
| 1918 | #1,690 | 23 | #75 | 2,506 |
| 1917 | #2,316 | 14 | #72 | 2,454 |
| 1916 | #1,581 | 23 | #74 | 2,313 |
| 1915 | #1,367 | 27 | #68 | 2,339 |
| 1914 | #1,541 | 18 | #67 | 1,880 |
| 1913 | #1,151 | 23 | #65 | 1,527 |
| 1912 | #1,540 | 13 | #63 | 1,325 |
| 1911 | #2,191 | 6 | #47 | 928 |
| 1910 | #1,267 | 13 | #39 | 888 |
| 1909 | #1,607 | 8 | #44 | 700 |
| 1908 | #2,101 | 5 | #46 | 644 |
| 1907 | #1,512 | 8 | #43 | 631 |
| 1906 | #1,727 | 6 | #43 | 552 |
| 1905 | #1,420 | 8 | #39 | 620 |
| 1904 | #1,877 | 5 | #40 | 603 |
| 1903 | — | #41 | 552 | |
| 1902 | #1,438 | 7 | #41 | 559 |
| 1901 | #1,339 | 7 | #40 | 479 |
| 1900 | #1,171 | 11 | #34 | 821 |
| 1899 | — | #44 | 469 | |
| 1898 | — | #42 | 543 | |
| 1897 | #1,555 | 5 | #45 | 478 |
| 1896 | — | #43 | 518 | |
| 1895 | #1,592 | 5 | #43 | 487 |
| 1894 | #1,136 | 8 | #43 | 507 |
| 1893 | #1,175 | 7 | #43 | 481 |
| 1892 | — | #38 | 551 | |
| 1891 | — | #43 | 418 | |
| 1890 | #1,099 | 7 | #41 | 489 |
| 1889 | #1,147 | 6 | #40 | 486 |
| 1888 | #1,276 | 5 | #34 | 607 |
| 1887 | — | #38 | 463 | |
| 1886 | — | #34 | 519 | |
| 1885 | — | #35 | 492 | |
| 1884 | — | #33 | 533 | |
| 1883 | — | #33 | 476 | |
| 1882 | — | #30 | 555 | |
| 1881 | — | #31 | 481 | |
| 1880 | — | #36 | 457 | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Sam was already there! It came in at #36, and was given to 457 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1972–1989, when fewer than 510 boys a year got the name.
Where Sam is popular in 1950
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Mississippi#96 · 1 in 485
- South Carolina#112 · 1 in 582
- Louisiana#130 · 1 in 600
- Alabama#139 · 1 in 846
- Tennessee#145 · 1 in 980
Best ever in a state: #7 in Alaska, 1928.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #96 | 60 | 1 in 485 |
| South Carolina | #112 | 49 | 1 in 582 |
| Louisiana | #130 | 59 | 1 in 600 |
| Alabama | #139 | 45 | 1 in 846 |
| Tennessee | #145 | 40 | 1 in 980 |
| Arkansas | #147 | 26 | 1 in 856 |
| Colorado | #149 | 17 | 1 in 962 |
| New Mexico | #153 | 13 | 1 in 761 |
| New Jersey | #156 | 23 | 1 in 2,000 |
| Ohio | #169 | 58 | 1 in 1,566 |
| Georgia | #177 | 35 | 1 in 1,241 |
| Arizona | #179 | 10 | 1 in 997 |
| Illinois | #179 | 58 | 1 in 1,599 |
| Missouri | #183 | 26 | 1 in 1,603 |
| North Carolina | #199 | 37 | 1 in 1,358 |
| Kansas | #204 | 12 | 1 in 1,659 |
| Texas | #208 | 82 | 1 in 1,266 |
| Connecticut | #210 | 5 | 1 in 3,722 |
| Kentucky | #210 | 20 | 1 in 1,786 |
| New York | #213 | 59 | 1 in 2,557 |
| Michigan | #217 | 30 | 1 in 2,592 |
| Virginia | #230 | 18 | 1 in 2,056 |
| West Virginia | #230 | 11 | 1 in 2,210 |
| Oklahoma | #237 | 12 | 1 in 1,982 |
| Oregon | #239 | 7 | 1 in 2,401 |
| Florida | #251 | 15 | 1 in 2,030 |
| Iowa | #257 | 9 | 1 in 3,342 |
| Washington | #260 | 8 | 1 in 3,385 |
| California | #270 | 43 | 1 in 2,838 |
| Indiana | #279 | 10 | 1 in 4,493 |
| Pennsylvania | #286 | 19 | 1 in 5,705 |
| Maryland | #293 | 5 | 1 in 4,883 |
| Wisconsin | #312 | 5 | 1 in 7,832 |
| Minnesota | #313 | 5 | 1 in 7,125 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Sam
- 3 spots since 2024 (#650 → #647)
- 8 spots since 2020 (#655 → #647)
- 101 spots since 2015 (#546 → #647)
- Biggest jump: 49 spots in 1987 (#441 → #392)
- Biggest drop: 67 spots in 2018 (#537 → #604)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1882 at #30 (555 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 47 yrs · run 1880–1926
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
- Highest: 1 in 183 boys born in 1900 were named Sam (0.55%)
- Latest: 1 in 3,991 boys born in 2025 (0.03%)
- Its best rank, #30 in 1882, was only 1 in 205 (0.49%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 16.4% of all boys named Sam (20,844) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,069 | #30 (1882) | #34 |
| 1890s | 4,941 | #38 (1892) | #43 |
| 1900s | 6,161 | #34 (1900) | #41 |
| 1910s | 18,544 | #39 (1910) | #65 |
| 1920s | 20,844 | #84 (1922) | #93 |
| 1930s | 13,350 | #110 (1930) | #127 |
| 1940s | 12,351 | #150 (1941) | #162 |
| 1950s | 10,052 | #201 (1951) | #224 |
| 1960s | 8,657 | #228 (1960) | #266 |
| 1970s | 4,516 | #320 (1970) | #369 |
| 1980s | 4,038 | #392 (1987) | #429 |
| 1990s | 5,437 | #383 (1991) | #421 |
| 2000s | 5,752 | #435 (2004) | #451 |
| 2010s | 5,034 | #471 (2010) | #543 |
| 2020s | 2,488 | #647 (2025) | #657 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Sam in 1950
Top girls' names in 1950
Top boys' names in 1950
More about 1950
girls
1,713,054 girls got a published name in 1950; 1 in 171,305 of them was named Sam, which outranked 44.0% of the 6,109 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #3,235Zada11
- #3,235Zadie11
- #3,235Zetta11
- #3,423Sam10
- #3,423Abbe10
- #3,423Adel10
- #3,423Alfrieda10
- #3,662Abelina9
- #3,662Adline9
- #3,662Adrianna9
Tied with 238 names at #3,423; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,790,262 boys got a published name in 1950; 1 in 1,873 of them was named Sam, which outranked 95.1% of the 4,196 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.