Samson
Boy name · #477 in 2025 · Distinctive
Samson is currently the #477 boy name in the United States — 639 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #618, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,817 boys born in 2025 was named Samson.
The 133-year story
Samson first appears in the Social Security records in 1892, when 8 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 639 babies and a rank of #477. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Samson per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Samson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Samson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Samson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Samson is most common
Geography matters for names, and Samson is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Samson is most common in OK (1 per 1,000), KY (0.9 per 1,000), AL (0.8 per 1,000), UT (0.7 per 1,000), IN (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Samson is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Samson
Statistically, parents drawn to Samson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lawson, Kyson, Karson, Benson, and Kaison.
LawsonKysonKarsonBensonKaisonEmersonKaysonKason
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Samson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 639 | #477 |
| 2024 | 585 | #522 |
| 2023 | 517 | #563 |
| 2022 | 491 | #582 |
| 2021 | 473 | #590 |
| 2020 | 495 | #566 |
| 2019 | 488 | #571 |
| 2018 | 512 | #546 |
| 2017 | 440 | #602 |
| 2016 | 481 | #576 |
| 2015 | 434 | #618 |
| 2014 | 420 | #627 |
| 2013 | 360 | #669 |
| 2012 | 280 | #802 |
| 2011 | 243 | #867 |
| 2010 | 244 | #860 |
| 2009 | 241 | #875 |
| 2008 | 214 | #944 |
| 2007 | 225 | #892 |
| 2006 | 220 | #891 |
| 2005 | 151 | #1093 |
| 2004 | 176 | #954 |
| 2003 | 158 | #1001 |
| 2002 | 183 | #889 |
| 2001 | 173 | #907 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Samson a popular boy name?
Samson ranked #477 among boys in 2025 with 639 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #618.
When was the name Samson most popular?
Samson peaked in 2025, when 639 American boys received the name (ranked #477 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Samson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,817 newborn American boys was named Samson. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
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.