Given name & surname
Samson
“sun man”
Samson is a masculine given name from Middle English, ultimately from Hebrew. It is used in English, French, Tagalog, Faroese, and 1 other language.
Original Hebrewשמשון
Meaning & origin
What it means
As a biblical name, Samson means “sun man.”
From biblical name research
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In English usage, Samson developed from Σαμψών.
The story
In biblical stories, Samson is associated with a man with extraordinary strength.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Samson appears in Judges 14:4, Judges 14:1, Judges 14:6 and 7 other passages.
- Judges 14:4
- Judges 14:1
- Judges 14:6
- Judges 15:6
- Judges 15:15
- Judges 16:3
- Judges 16:16
- Judges 16:21
- Judges 16:30
- Hebrews 11:32
From biblical name research
Samson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 12,879
- 12,879 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 639 babies
- 2025
- 639
- #477 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +12%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 639 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 477 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (71). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,470 as a first name in 2020; 11,963 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.
Samson’s family of names
In English usage, Samson has a diminutive in Sam. In English usage, Samson shares an earlier linguistic root with SHIMSHON. In English usage, Samson has a conventional equivalent in the Middle English form Sampson.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Samson has relatives in 16 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
20 related names in 16 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 14
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Samson
- Samson SiasiaNigerian association football playerborn 1967
- Samson Raphael HirschJewish theologian, Germany 19th century (1808–1888)
- Samson of DolWelsh saint who settled down in Brittany (c. C.E.485 — c. 565)
- Paul TanneryFrench mathematician (1843–1904)
- Samson BaidooAustrian association football playerborn 2004
- Samson KiturAthletics competitor from Kenya (1966-2003)
- Samson SamsonovSoviet and Russian film director (1921–2002)
- Shimshon AmitsurIsraeli mathematician (1921–1994)
- Samson GodwinNigerian association football playerborn 1983
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Samson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Asa
“doctor, healer” · “born in the morning”
89% boys · 11% girls
Zion
“from the citadel”
93% boys · 7% girls
Boaz
“swiftness” · “one who is swift”
>99% boys
Axel
“source of life; small oak” · “axe”
>99% boys
Ozias
“power of Yah” · “Yah is strong”
>99% boys
Micah
“who is like (Yahweh)?”
93% boys · 7% girls
Gideon
“one who cuts down” · “a mighty warrior; one who fells trees”
>99% boys
Hezekiah
“God is my strength”
>99% boys