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At a Glance: Name: Samuel – Meaning: traditionally glossed as 'God has heard', though the Bible's own account (1 Samuel 1:20) frames the name through a wordplay meaning 'asked of God' – Origin: Hebrew – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: SAM-yoo-el
Samuel is a Hebrew name traditionally glossed as "God has heard," pronounced SAM-yoo-el. You may have also heard it explained as meaning "asked of God" — that reading comes from a wordplay in the Bible's own account of the name at 1 Samuel 1:20, not a settled linguistic derivation, so both glosses are best treated as traditional rather than fixed fact. It carries an old-fashioned, classic feel while still being a name parents choose today.
Meaning & Origin of Samuel
Meaning: Traditionally glossed as 'god has heard', though the bible's own account (1 samuel 1:20) frames the name through a wordplay meaning 'asked of god'.
Origin: Hebrew.
A common claim: Widely said to mean "asked of God" Actually: This is a folk-etymological wordplay from 1 Samuel 1:20, not a certain linguistic derivation. The more traditional gloss, "God has heard," should also be treated as traditional rather than settled fact.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Samuel
Phonetic: SAM-yoo-el IPA: /ˈsæmjuəl/
Popularity of Samuel
Samuel ranked #17 in 2024, given to 8,310 boys — exactly matching its earlier peak of #17 back in 1880, when 1,024 boys received the name. SSA records for Samuel span 1880 through 2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Samuel Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Samuel, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Samuel mean?
Traditionally glossed as ‘god has heard’, though the bible’s own account (1 samuel 1:20) frames the name through a wordplay meaning ‘asked of god’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Samuel)
How do you pronounce Samuel?
Samuel is pronounced SAM-yoo-el (IPA: /ˈsæmjuəl/).
Is Samuel a popular name right now?
Samuel is near its all-time peak (#17 in 1880), ranked #17 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Samuel? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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