Samson

Samson - A very unique male name

Samson appeared on the charts for the first time in 1916 on position #1750. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Samson and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Samson? 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 Samson. The baby boy name Samson was given to 606 baby boys in 2025, ranking #476 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,420 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Samson peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 476.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Samson, 1-5?

Samson is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Samson is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #176 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #1,157.

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 Samson is where you live.

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Samson origin and meaning

Hebrew, biblical

'Man of the sun' or 'sun's man' — from Shimshon, built on Hebrew shemesh, sun

Samson is the strongman judge of the Book of Judges, whose name ties him to the sun. Used quietly for centuries, it is now rising with other substantial biblical names and reached its highest US level in 2025.

Attested etymology

Samson is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Samson

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

Shimshon / Sinjin / Sanjuan / Swanson /

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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 Samson

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 Samson 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 Samson?

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.

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Pronunciation

SAM-sun · /ˈsæmsən/

Around the world

• Shimshon (Hebrew) — The original Hebrew form.
• Sansón (Spanish) — The Spanish form.

Spellings and nicknames

• Sampson — Spelling with a p, also a surname form.

Nicknames: SamSonny

Famous bearers

• Samson — Nazirite judge and strongman in the Book of Judges (Biblical) Historical
• Samson Siasia — Nigerian footballer and later national-team coach (b. 1967) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalClassic

Why parents choose it

Samson offers biblical strength with the friendly Sam built in — weightier than Samuel, rarer than Sam alone. Its current peak reflects the taste for bold Old Testament names.

Worth knowing

• The biblical Samson's story ends badly — betrayal and ruin — which some families weigh.
• It is frequently spelled Sampson by mistake.