Samuel vs. Sam: which name is older?
The average Samuel is 32 and the average Sam is 47, so Sam is the older name, by about 15 years.
Samuel
Sam
When was each name popular?
Sam peaked first, in 1918 (in the late 1910s). Samuel peaked in 2001, 83 years later.
Which name is more common?
There are about 620,000 Samuels and about 47,000 Sams alive in the US, so there are about 13 times as many Samuels as Sams.
Boys or girls?
Both are boys' names: over 99% of living Samuels and 98% of living Sams are men.
Names the same age as Samuel
Names the same age as Sam
Think you can guess a Samuel's age?
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Samuel or Sam: questions
Which is older, Samuel or Sam?
The average Samuel is 32 and the average Sam is 47, so Sam is the older name, by about 15 years.
How old is the average Samuel?
The average Samuel in the US is 32; half of all living Samuels are between 16 and 43.
How old is the average Sam?
The average Sam in the US is 47; half of all living Sams are between 24 and 69.
Which is more common, Samuel or Sam?
There are about 620,000 Samuels and about 47,000 Sams alive in the US, so there are about 13 times as many Samuels as Sams.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). How we calculate this