Sam

♀ Girl

Pronounced SAM /ˈsæm/High

Meaning: A pet form of Samantha/Samuel — from Hebrew Shemuel, 'God has heard; the name of God' (Samantha is a feminine elaboration); used for both sexes; here for girls; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: God has heard: Sam pets Samantha — 'God has heard'. Crisp, spunky, and warm. Used for both sexes (here for girls).

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Origin LowHebrew

MeaningA pet form of Samantha/Samuel — from Hebrew Shemuel, 'God has heard; the name of God' (Samantha is a feminine elaboration); used for both sexes; here for girls; routes layered

U.S. rank (2024)#6572 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births18 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1919

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,552

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Sam is a pet form of Samantha or Samuel — from the Hebrew Shemuel, 'God has heard; the name of God' (Samantha being a feminine elaboration; routes layered, which we note). A crisp, spunky one-syllable name, used for both sexes, here for girls (slug distinguished; the full name is often Samantha).

It registers thinly as a formal name. Rare on its own, God-has-heard at the root, and spunky.

Did you know? Samuel means 'God has heard; the name of God' (Hebrew) and Samantha is its feminine elaboration — Sam is a crisp, spunky pet form, used for both sexes (here for girls; the routes are layered; said 'SAM').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Sam — routes layered

Variations

SamanthaSammieSammi

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Sam…

Sammie— a fellow pet form

Sammi— a fellow pet form

Frankie— a sound-neighbor spunky unisex girls' name

Shay— the same unisex feel

Shea— another Hebrew name

Explore names like Sam

By themeuncertain hebrew unisex nickname-name

By meaningGod / Divine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sam mean?

Sam pets Samantha/Samuel — Hebrew 'God has heard'; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Sam?

It's said SAM /ˈsæm/ — one syllable.

Is Sam a boy or girl name?

Sam is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Sam?

Sam is a rare name for girls on its own in the U.S.