- Meaning
- God has heard
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- Syllables
- 3
- Popularity
- US top 100
- Style
- Classic, Religious
- Used in
- English-speaking countries, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Hebrew (Israel)
Nicknames for Samuel
What friends, grandparents and the playground will call them, depending on where they grow up.
- English
- Sam, Sammy
- Spanish
- Samu
- Portuguese
- Samuca
- Hebrew
- Shmulik
What people expect from a Samuel
Samuel is built from soft sounds. Studies of name sounds find people expect someone with a soft name to be warm, agreeable and calm.
The meaning is about a blessing. A name can't give a child a blessing, but it's a nice thing to explain to them one day.
A good fit if you hope for: faithful and blessed.
Names set expectations, not personalities. What the research says.
Samuel: name scorecard
Save your future kid some trouble: give them a name they can live and grow with.
Great choice
Samuel · nickname: Sam
- International readabilityReads well across languages, already used in 4 language areas.
- Easy to say and spellSays itself: 3 syllables, spelt how it sounds.
- Not too common, not too strangePopular. Familiar and safe, a bit less personal.
- Playground-proofNo obvious rude words or rhymes. Kids are creative, though.
- Won't get you sued (or refused)Nothing a registrar would object to in most countries.
- A meaning to be proud ofMeans "God has heard".
Names with a similar meaning
More Hebrew names
Strangers shown a face guessed the person's real name well above chance. We may slowly grow into our names.
Zwebner et al. (2017)Questions about Samuel
What does the name Samuel mean?
Samuel is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God has heard".
Is Samuel a boy or girl name?
Samuel is usually a boy's name.
How popular is the name Samuel?
Samuel is in the US top 100. It is used in English-speaking countries, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Hebrew (Israel).
What are nicknames for Samuel?
Common nicknames for Samuel are Sam, Sammy, Samu, Samuca and Shmulik.
Fun, but true. Name meanings come from common etymologies, which sometimes disagree. Height and weight paths are estimates from population growth data and published studies, not a medical assessment. If you're worried about your child's growth, talk to your paediatrician. Full disclaimer