Samantha is a feminine given name of Greek origin. It is derived from the Greek word "samande," which means "listening" or "hearing." The name Samantha was not widely used until the mid-20th century, but it has since become quite popular.
The use of Samantha as a given name can be traced back to the play "Samantha's Diary" by British playwright H. S. Eason. The play was first performed in 1895 and tells the story of a young girl named Samantha who keeps a diary of her daily life. After the success of the play, the name Samantha began to gain popularity as a given name for girls.
In the United States, Samantha became particularly popular in the 1970s and 1980s. According to data from the Social Security Administration, Samantha was one of the top ten most popular girl names in the U.S. during those decades. Today, Samantha remains a popular choice for parents looking for a name with Greek origins and a strong meaning.
In terms of its meaning, Samantha carries a positive connotation as it suggests attentiveness and good listening skills. This could be a fitting name for a child who is known for being a good listener or someone who takes in the world around them with keen observation.
Overall, Samantha is a charming and timeless name with roots in Greek mythology and a history of popularity in many English-speaking countries. It's a great choice for parents looking for a name that combines strength and grace.
The given statistics illustrate the trend of the name Samantha among baby girls born in the United States each year from 1965 to 2019.
From 1965 to 1973, the number of babies named Samantha remained relatively low, with an average of fewer than 8 births per year. However, beginning in 1977, there was a noticeable increase in the popularity of the name Samantha, with more than 20 births recorded each year until reaching a peak in 1991 and 1992 with 121 births both years.
Throughout the 1990s, Samantha remained one of the top girls' names in the United States. However, after 1997, its popularity began to decline gradually but consistently. By the year 2000, there were only 71 babies named Samantha at birth, and this number continued to decrease each year until it reached a low point of 5 births in 2016.
After a brief uptick in popularity with 9 births in 2018 and 2019, the name Samantha has once again begun to decline in popularity among baby girls born in the United States. Nonetheless, throughout its peak years in the late twentieth century, Samantha was an exceedingly popular choice for parents naming their daughters.