How old is someone named Sam?
The average Sam is 47 years old.
Half of all living Sams are between 24 and 69. The average sits between a large older group and a younger one, so many Sams are much older than 47.
When was Sam popular?
Sam was at its most popular in the late 1910s. Parents have been moving away from it for decades, and 452 babies were named Sam in 2025.
Popular names of 1918 · The most popular names of the 1910s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 6,226 | 0 |
| 1910s | 18,740 | 0 |
| 1920s | 21,107 | 110 |
| 1930s | 13,496 | 1,600 |
| 1940s | 12,456 | 5,300 |
| 1950s | 10,171 | 6,800 |
| 1960s | 8,788 | 7,000 |
| 1970s | 4,585 | 4,100 |
| 1980s | 4,110 | 3,900 |
| 1990s | 5,480 | 5,300 |
| 2000s | 5,848 | 5,800 |
| 2010s | 5,160 | 5,100 |
| 2020s | 2,590 | 2,600 |
How many Sams are still alive?
About 47,000 Sams are alive in the US today. That's 37% of the roughly 130,000 babies named Sam since 1880.
Most Sams ever born have died: the name was most popular in 1918, long enough ago that many of those babies are gone.
What generation is the name Sam?
About one in four living Sams are Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964.
Is Sam an old name?
Yes. Sam is older than 75 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Looking ahead: if babies keep getting the name at today's pace, the typical Sam will be 43 in 2056, about the same as today.
Is Sam a boy or girl name?
Mostly boys: 98.3% of living Sams are men.
Names the same age as Sam
NAME TWIN
Sam's name twin is Mervin. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Mervin's age curve is the closest match to Sam's: 92% alike.
Compare: Samuel vs. Sam
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Questions about the name Sam
How old is the average Sam?
The average Sam in the US is 47 years old. The median is 50, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Sam?
About 47,000 Sams are alive in the US today, out of roughly 130,000 babies given the name since 1880.
When was the name Sam most popular?
In 1918, when about 2,500 baby boys were named Sam.
Is Sam a Boomer name?
Partly. Baby Boomers are the largest group, about 29% of living Sams, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this