Given name & surname
Sampson
Sampson is a masculine given name from Hebrew. It is used in English and Middle English.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Sampson is a variant of Samson. An origin associated with Samson is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Middle English usage, Sampson developed from Σαμψών.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Sampson is a variant of Samson. The history of Samson gives this family its wider story. In biblical stories, Samson is associated with a man with extraordinary strength.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Sampson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,901
- 3,901 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2017
- 61 babies
- 2025
- 34
- #3,435 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 34 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,435 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 25.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 61 in 2017. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,243 as a first name in 2020; 37,721 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Sampson’s family of names
In Middle English usage, Sampson developed from the Ancient Greek form Σαμψών. Sampson has a related form in Samson. In Middle English usage, Sampson has a conventional equivalent in the English form Samson.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Sampson has relatives in 4 languages.
4 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Sampson
- Sampson the HospitableByzantine saint450–530
- Sampson Kwaku BoafoGhanian attorney and politician, acting minister for Culture and Chiefs' Affairs
- Sampson DwehLiberian footballerborn 2001
- Sampson GideonBritish banker (1699-1762)
- Sampson Willis HarrisAmerican politician and lawyer (1809-1857)
- Sampson Adu-GyamfiGhanaian politicianborn 1950
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Sampson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“twin”
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“God has given”
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“craftsman”
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Lazar
“leper”
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