The first name Samantha
A girl’s name from Hebrew meaning “listener”, “universal”, “adjacent”.
Pronounced /səˈmænθə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Samantha means “listener”, “universal”, “adjacent” in Hebrew.
It was recorded in the 17th century in England. Most probably a feminine form of Samuel, possibly influenced by Anthea. Other suggestions include Aramaic ܫܡܥܢܬܐ (šemʿanta, “listener”, noun), from ܫܡܥ. In India, Samantha can be interpreted as a variant spelling of Samanta, from Sanskrit समन्त (samanta, “universal, adjacent”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 47 girls were named Samantha, making it the 778th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 1,854 births (#32).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Samantha with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Samantha at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,973 girls born in the United States were named Samantha, the 151st most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1990, when 25,868 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Samantha in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Samantha in French and German too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Samantha
81 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Samantha StosurAustralian tennis player (born 1984)
- Samantha SmithAmerican peace activist and child actress (1972–1985)
- Samantha FoxBritish singer (born 1966)
- Samantha MortonBritish actress, born 1977
- Samantha EggarBritish actress (1939–2025)
- Samantha BarksBritish actress, born 1990
- Samantha MathisAmerican actress and trade union leader (born 1970)
- Samantha BeeCanadian comedic actress and author (born 1969)
- Samantha BondBritish actress, born 1961
- Samantha WomackEnglish actress, singer and director, in film, television and stage, born 1972
- Samantha HarveyEnglish writer (born 1975)
- Samantha SaintAmerican pornographic actress, born 1987
More Hebrew girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Samantha mean?
- Samantha means “listener”, “universal”, “adjacent” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Samantha?
- It was recorded in the 17th century in England. Most probably a feminine form of Samuel, possibly influenced by Anthea. Other suggestions include Aramaic ܫܡܥܢܬܐ (šemʿanta, “listener”, noun), from ܫܡܥ. In India, Samantha can be interpreted as a variant spelling of Samanta, from Sanskrit समन्त…
- How popular is the name Samantha?
- In 2025, 47 girls born in England and Wales were named Samantha, ranking 778th. Its peak was 1996, with 1,854 births.
- What are nicknames for Samantha?
- Common nicknames for Samantha include Sammy, Sami, Sam, Sammi, Sammie, Sams.
- Is Samantha a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 594,052 US babies named Samantha since 1880 were girls.
- When was Samantha most popular?
- 1990 in the United States, when 25,868 babies were named Samantha, its highest rank at 5th.
- How do you pronounce Samantha?
- Samantha is /səˈmænθə/, 3 syllables.