Samuel sits comfortably in the UK charts at #60 in 2024 — recognisable but not overwhelming. Your child may occasionally share their name.
Origin & Meaning
Hebrew — God has heard
📊
UK Rank 2024
#60
US Rank #17
About the Name Samuel
Samuel is holding steady in the rankings at #60. It reached its peak of #6 in 2004 and has maintained consistent levels since — the hallmark of a name with lasting rather than trend-driven appeal. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 29 of the last 29 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
In terms of origin, Samuel is rooted in Hebrew, where it means "God has heard". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Samuel 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 ranks even higher at #17, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Samuel
Unlikely. With around 857 UK babies named Samuel per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Samuel in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Samuel has held a stable position around #60 for several years. It reached its recorded peak of #6 in 2004 and has maintained consistent levels since — suggesting lasting rather than trend-driven appeal.
The name Samuel has Hebrew origins and means "God has heard". Names with clear etymological roots tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles and give children a story to tell about their name.
Notable people named Samuel include: Benedict Samuel — Benedict Victor Samuel is an Australian actor, writer, and director best known for playing Jervis Tetch / Mad Hatter in the Fox crime series Gotham and as Owen...; Samuel Johnson — Samuel Johnson, often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic,...; Samuel the Confessor — Samuel the Confessor (referred to in academic literature as Samuel of Kalamoun or Samuel of Qalamun) was a Coptic Orthodox saint, venerated in all Oriental....
Yes — Samuel is very popular in the United States, ranked #17 in 2024. It's a transatlantic favourite used widely on both sides of the Atlantic.
857
UK babies named Samuel (2024)
~0.0
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.4
In a school of 600
↓ 13 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Samuel
Likely around 1 other Samuel 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 Samuel
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Benedict Victor Samuel is an Australian actor, writer, and director best known for playing Jervis Tetch / Mad Hatter in the Fox crime series Gotham and as Owen in The Walking Dead.
Herbert Louis Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel was a British politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party from 1931 to 1935. The first Jew to serve as a Cabinet minister, Samuel promoted Zionism within the British Cabinet, beginning with his 1915 memorandum entitled The Future of Palestine.
Samuel Johnson, often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer (creator of dictionaries). The work for which he is best known is his 42,733-entry Dictionary of the English Language.
Samuel Samuel was a British businessman and Conservative Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1913 to 1934, and had extensive investments in East Asia.
Samuel the Confessor (referred to in academic literature as Samuel of Kalamoun or Samuel of Qalamun) was a Coptic Orthodox saint, venerated in all Oriental Orthodox Churches. He is most famous for his torture at the hands of the Chalcedonian Byzantines, for his witness of the Arab invasion of Egypt, and for having built the monastery that carries his name in Mount Qalamoun.