Sampson
Boy name · #3386 in 2025 · Uniqueness 89/100
Sampson is currently the #3386 boy name in the United States — 34 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2300, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 52,941 boys born in 2025 was named Sampson.
The 145-year story
Sampson first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 61 boys were named Sampson — good for #2186 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Sampson per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sampson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sampson in class?
Sampson scores 89 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Sampson will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sampson is most common
State-level data for Sampson is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Sampson
Statistically, parents drawn to Sampson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Robinson, Hanson, Pearson, Thompson, and Davidson.
RobinsonHansonPearsonThompsonDavidsonJohnsonKelsonLarson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sampson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #3379 |
| 2024 | 34 | #3394 |
| 2023 | 38 | #3177 |
| 2022 | 42 | #2962 |
| 2021 | 46 | #2732 |
| 2020 | 57 | #2347 |
| 2019 | 41 | #2943 |
| 2018 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2017 | 61 | #2186 |
| 2016 | 51 | #2477 |
| 2015 | 57 | #2300 |
| 2014 | 42 | #2805 |
| 2013 | 39 | #2895 |
| 2012 | 38 | #3002 |
| 2011 | 35 | #3164 |
| 2010 | 31 | #3453 |
| 2009 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2008 | 40 | #2946 |
| 2007 | 43 | #2765 |
| 2006 | 37 | #2979 |
| 2005 | 35 | #2960 |
| 2004 | 29 | #3285 |
| 2003 | 34 | #2847 |
| 2002 | 35 | #2685 |
| 2001 | 31 | #2931 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sampson a popular boy name?
Sampson ranked #3386 among boys in 2025 with 34 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2300.
When was the name Sampson most popular?
Sampson peaked in 2017, when 61 American boys received the name (ranked #2186 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sampson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 52,941 newborn American boys was named Sampson. It scores 89/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.