Sam is a distinctive choice, ranked #334 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Sam in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#334
US Rank #651
About the Name Sam
Sam is climbing rapidly up the charts, having climbed 4201 places in just five years. Its best recorded rank was #57 in 2002 — and current momentum suggests it could challenge that mark again. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has broken into the UK top 100 on 3 occasions, signalling genuine mainstream interest.
Sam is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it sits at #651 — notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Sam
Unlikely. With around 131 UK babies named Sam per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Sam in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Sam is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 4201 places over the last five years to #334 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Sam is more popular in the UK (#334) than in the US (#651). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Sam include: Sam Altman — Samuel Harris Altman is an American businessman and entrepreneur who has been the chief executive officer (CEO) of the artificial intelligence research...; Sam Champion — Samuel James Champion is an American weather anchor with WABC-TV and Good Morning America.; Sam Trammell — Sam Trammell is an American actor, best known for his role as Sam Merlotte on the HBO fantasy drama series True Blood..
Sam ranks #651 in the US top 1,000 (2024). It's recognised in America but considerably more popular in the UK.
131
UK babies named Sam (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↑ 4201 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Sam
Likely around 1 other Sam in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Sam
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Arthur Jackson, known as Peg Leg Sam was an American country blues harmonicist, singer and comedian. He recorded "Fox Chase" and "John Henry" and worked in medicine shows.
Samuel Harris Altman is an American businessman and entrepreneur who has been the chief executive officer (CEO) of the artificial intelligence research organization OpenAI since 2019. Altman attended Stanford University for two years before dropping out and co-founding Loopt, a smartphone geosocial networking service, which raised more than US$30 million in venture capital before being acquired by Green Dot Corporation for $43.4 million in cash.
Samuel James Champion is an American weather anchor with WABC-TV and Good Morning America. He formerly co-anchored AMHQ: America's Morning Headquarters and 23.5 Degrees With Sam Champion on The Weather Channel.
Sam Trammell is an American actor, best known for his role as Sam Merlotte on the HBO fantasy drama series True Blood. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance as Richard Miller in Ah, Wilderness!