Sami

At a Glance

Meaning

Exalted, elevated (from Arabic sama, 'to rise')

Origin

Arabic

Gender

Neutral

Pronunciation

SAH-meeListen

Sami is a gender-neutral name with an Arabic origin, from sama, 'to rise,' meaning exalted or elevated. It's pronounced SAH-mee, and it has a clean, modern, worldly feel. You'll sometimes see it glossed as both 'exalted' and 'one who hears,' but 'one who hears' comes from a different Arabic root (sami', 'hearing/listener') that gets mixed up with Sami in English spelling.

Meaning & Origin of Sami

Meaning: Exalted, elevated (from Arabic sama, 'to rise').

Origin: Arabic.

A common claim: Frequently glossed as meaning both 'exalted' and 'one who hears.' Actually: 'One who hears' belongs to a different Arabic root (sami', 'hearing/listener') that gets conflated with Sami (from sama, 'to rise') in English spelling.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Sami

Popularity of Sami

Sami reached its highest U.S. Social Security rank at #1112 in 2017 (174 babies), and in 2024 it sat at #1263 (156 babies). That's a modest dip from its peak in a data range that stretches back to 1945.

Names Like Sami

These names share Sami’s style, era or origin.

• Alayah
• Aleena
• Alia
• Iman
• Kairo
• Layan

FAQ

What does the name Sami mean?

Exalted, elevated (from Arabic sama, ‘to rise’). (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Sami?

Sami is pronounced SAH-mee (IPA: /ˈsɑːmiː/).

Is Sami a popular name right now?

Sami is near its all-time peak (#1112 in 2017), ranked #1263 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1945–2024.)

Make Sami Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Sami, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.