Samir

Samir - A very unique male name

Samir appeared on the charts for the first time in 1969 on position #1276. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Samir and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Samir? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Samir. The baby boy name Samir was given to 413 baby boys in 2025, ranking #622 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 3,550 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Samir peaked in popularity 2 years ago in 2024 on position 582.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Samir, 1-5?

Samir is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Samir is currently topping the baby name charts in District of Columbia at position #164 - and is the least popular in Indiana at position #929.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Samir is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Samir origin and meaning

Arabic and Persian

'Companion in evening conversation' — from Arabic samara, 'to converse at night'

Samir is a well-loved Arabic name for the friend whose talk carries the evening. It has been in steady US use since 1969 in Muslim, Arab and South Asian families, and reached its best year yet in 2024.

Attested etymology

Samir is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Samir, pop culture references for the name Samir and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Samir

We've found the following names that sound similar to Samir, sorted by popularity.

Seymour / Shamar / Sameer / Shemar / Sumner / Shamir / Samar / Samer / Shomari / Shneur /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Samir

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Samir a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Samir?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

sah-MEER · /səˈmɪər/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Sameer — A transliteration variant with the same pronunciation.

Famous bearers

• Samir Nasri — French footballer, formerly of Arsenal and Manchester City (b. 1987) Contemporary
• Samir Handanović — Slovenian goalkeeper, long-time captain of Inter Milan (b. 1984) Contemporary

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Parents pick Samir for its warm meaning and smooth, cross-cultural sound — familiar in many languages at once.

Worth knowing

• It is sometimes confused with the feminine Samira and misspelled Sameer.