Samantha ‌Name‌ ‌Meaning‌

Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Samantha.

Fact checked by Karen Cilli

You can’t go wrong with a classic American name like Samantha for your new baby.

However, the origin of the name is unclear. It may have originated in America in the 18th century as a combination of the Hebrew name Samuel, meaning “God has heard” or “name of God” and the Greek word Anthea, meaning “flower” or “blossom.” Samantha is also sometimes thought of as the feminine form of the name Samuel.

According to another theory, it could also be the English form of the Dutch name Sijmentje which has derived from the Germanic name Sigismund, meaning “victory” (sigi) and “protection or defense” (mund).

• Origin: Samantha is of unknown origin, meaning "name of God," "God has heard," "flower," or "blossom"

• Gender: Samantha is commonly used as a girl's name.

• Pronunciation: suh-man-thuh

Editor's Note

Although many baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

How Popular Is the Name Samantha?

The name Samantha has been in use in the United States since the 1800s and was first recorded in 1880 at No. 365 in the Social Security Administration database, but then dropped in popularity by 1900, ranking at No. 701.

It continued to decline until 1958, just skimming the bottom of the top 1,000 names at No. 999, until it disappeared completely from the rankings, only to reappear in 1964 at No. 464.

This boost in popularity coincided with the TV show Bewitched featuring its lead character, the nose-twitching “witch," Samantha Stephens. The show ran for eight years, and by 1972, the name had reached No. 137. In 1976, it entered the top 100 names and by 1988 it was featured in the top 10 names where it stayed until 2006.

The most popular year for the name was 1998, where it sat at No. 3. In 2017, it dropped to No. 54 and in 2023 it was ranked at No. 114.

Name Variations

The following are variations of the name Samantha:

• Samana (Sanskrit)

• Samanta (Italian, Latvian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish)

• Samanthi (English)

• Simantha (English)

• Symantha (English)

Similar Names

Similar sounding names to Samantha include:

• Samaira

• Samantheya

• Samanthia

• Samara

• Samaya

• Sameera

• Sammala

• Samyna

Other girl names starting with "S" include:

• Sabrina

• Sarah

• Savannah

• Scarlett

• Serena

• Sharon

• Skylar

• Sonia

• Stella

• Summer

Common Nicknames for Samantha

There are a wealth of nicknames that can be derived from the name Samantha, some of which are decidedly gender-neutral:

• Amantha

• Ami

• Matty

• Mimi

• Sam

• Samant

• Sami

• Sammie

• Sammy

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Samantha? Here are some popular options:

• Atticus

• Charlotte

• Cory

• Elliot

• Felicity

• Jonathan

• Sidney

• Sophie

• Theodore

• Zachary

Famous People Named Samantha

While you have likely heard the name Samantha amongst your peers, colleagues, and neighbors, there are plenty notable people from athletes to actors and directors who share the name Samantha. If you're looking for a bit of inspiration, below are a few people named Samantha, both real and fictional.

Famous Samanthas

• Samantha Arsenault, American competitive swimmer and Olympic champion

• Samantha Cameron, English businesswoman whose husband is the former British prime minister David Cameron

• Samantha Fox, English singer and former model best known for the top hit single "Touch Me”

• Samantha Harris, American television presenter and actress known as the co-host of the TV show Dancing with the Stars

• Samantha Morton, award-winning English actress and director known for lead roles in Emma, Jane Eyre, and Under the Skin

• Samantha Munro, Canadian actress known for her role in the teen drama TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation

• Samantha Stosur, Australian professional tennis player and former world No. 1 in doubles

• Samantha Womack, English film television and stage actress, singer, and director, best known for her role in the British soap EastEnders

Fictional Samanthas

• Samantha "Sam" Carter, character played by Amanda Tapping in the Stargate franchise of TV series and movies

• Samantha "Sam" Micelli, character played by Alyssa Milano on the TV show Who's the Boss?

• Samantha Baker, lead character in the film Sixteen Candles played by Molly Ringwald

• Samantha Jones, one of the main characters in the TV show Sex and the City played by Kim Cattrall

• Tracy Samantha Lord, main character in the musical comedy film High Society played by Grace Kelly

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:

• Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names

• 50 Creative Baby Names

• 58 Baby Names Inspired By Nature

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Read the original article on Parents.