Sampson: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#3,435

among boys · ↑11 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Sampson

How common

1 in 50,238

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2017

61 babies

All-time total

3,901

#2,134 all-time among boys

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Sampson popularity over time

3,901 babies have been named Sampson since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	76	8	–	#649
1890s	103	10	+36%	#415
1900s	118	12	+15%	#551
1910s	249	25	+111%	#964
1920s	348	35	+40%	#1,086
1930s	266	27	-24%	#1,170
1940s	246	25	-8%	#1,225
1950s	303	30	+23%	#1,186
1960s	243	24	-20%	#1,396
1970s	222	22	-9%	#1,646
1980s	312	31	+41%	#1,759
1990s	365	37	+17%	#1,926
2000s	354	35	-3%	#2,614
2010s	445	45	+26%	#2,213
2020s (to 2025)	251	42	-6%	#2,363

Where Sampson is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	33	0.02	outside top 500
2027	31	0.02	outside top 500
2028	30	0.02	outside top 500
2029	30	0.02	outside top 500
2030	29	0.02	outside top 500

The story of Sampson

Sampson is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,435 in 2025 with 34 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 3,901 American babies have been named Sampson. Its peak came in 2017, when 61 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sampson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Sampson?

The median living Sampson is about 31 years old; half are between 13 and 54. An estimated 2,500 people named Sampson are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Sampson year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	34	#3,435
2024	34	#3,446
2023	38	#3,216
2022	42	#2,989
2021	46	#2,766
2020	57	#2,363
2019	41	#2,986
2018	50	#2,572
2017	61	#2,213
2016	51	#2,510
2015	57	#2,323
2014	42	#2,838
2013	39	#2,943
2012	38	#3,053
2011	35	#3,228
2010	31	#3,514
2009	34	#3,319
2008	40	#2,998
2007	43	#2,799
2006	37	#3,019
2005	35	#3,004
2004	29	#3,355
2003	34	#2,915
2002	35	#2,740
2001	31	#2,978
2000	36	#2,614
1995	34	#2,339
1990	35	#2,121
1985	31	#1,913
1980	31	#1,847
1975	20	#2,273
1970	21	#1,979
1965	18	#1,905
1960	33	#1,396
1955	34	#1,309
1950	27	#1,426
1945	19	#1,570
1940	25	#1,362
1935	21	#1,534
1930	37	#1,170
1925	35	#1,219
1920	43	#1,086
1915	23	#1,450
1910	12	#975
1905	12	#732
1900	20	#551
1895	10	#734
1890	8	#803
1885	8	#754
1880	5	#1,037

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Sampson, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Sampson?

The median living Sampson is about 31 years old. Half of all living Sampsons are between 13 and 54 years old.

How many people named Sampson are alive today?

An estimated 2,500 people named Sampson are alive in the United States, based on 3,901 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Sampson mean?

A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

How popular is the name Sampson in 2025?

Sampson ranked #3,435 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 34 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Sampson?

3,901 babies have been named Sampson in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sampson most popular?

Sampson peaked in 2017, when 61 newborns received the name.

Is Sampson a boy or girl name?

Sampson is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Sampson rising or falling?

Sampson is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Sampson become more popular?

Sampson is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 29 boys named Sampson in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Sampson

Names that sound and feel close to Sampson: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Sampson with similar names → More names starting with S →