Samantha

Samantha is a feminine given name.
Origins
The name was recorded in the 18th century in New England, but its etymology is uncertain.
Speculation (without evidence) has suggested an origin from the masculine given name Samuel and anthos, the Greek word for "flower". One theory is that it was a feminine form of Samuel to which the already existing feminine name Anthea was added.
Popularity
"Samantha" remained a rare name until the 1873 publication of the first novel in a series by Marietta Holley, featuring the adventures of a woman named "Samantha", wife of Josiah Allen. The series led to the rise in the name's popularity, ranking among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States from 1880, the earliest year for which records are available, to 1902.
The name was out of fashion in the United States for the majority of the first half of the 20th century but reappeared among the top 1,000 names for girls in 1958, when it ranked in 998th position, and in 1959, when it ranked in 993rd place. Those rankings followed the release of the 1956 film High Society, in which Grace Kelly played a character with the middle name Samantha. The movie introduced a song titled "I Love You, Samantha" by the famed composer Cole Porter.
After 1959 the name fell off the top 1,000 list again until 1964, when it reappeared in 472nd place and leapt another 293 places to 179th place in 1965, coinciding with the 1964 debut of the popular television show Bewitched, featuring as a lead character a young witch named "Samantha Stephens".
The name has remained consistently popular in the United States since the 1960s. It has ranked among the top 200 names for girls since 1965 and among the top 100 names for girls since 1976. It was among the ten most popular names for American girls born between 1988 and 2006 and was among the top 100 names for American girls until 2020. It was the 106th most popular name for American girls born in both 2021 and 2022. It has also been well-used in other English-speaking countries and in Mexico.
In Sri Lanka, Samantha is used as a masculine given name, being one of the forms of the name of the god Saman. This usage has no known connection with the feminine version.
Transliterations
Arabic: سمانثا (Samantha)
Albanian: Samanthë, Samantë
Armenian: Սամանթա (Samant'a), Սամանտա (Samanta)
Belarusian: Саманта (Samanta)
Bulgarian: Саманта (Samanta)
Chinese Simplified: 萨曼莎 (Sàmànshā)
Chinese Traditional: 薩曼莎 (Sàmànshā)
Dutch: Samantha
English: Samantha (Samantha)
Esperanto: Samanta
French: Samantha
German: Samantha
Greek: Σαμάνθα
Gujarati: સમન્તા (Samantā)
Hebrew: סמנתה
Hindi: सामन्था (Sāmanthā)
Hungarian: Szamanta
Italian: Samanta
Japanese: サマンサ (Samansa)
Kannada: ಸಮಂತಾ (Samantā)
Khmer: សុមន្ថា (Somontha)
Korean: 사만다 (Samanda)
Latvian: Samanta
Mongolian: Саманта (Samanta)
Marathi: सामान्था (Sāmānthā)
Persian: سامانتا (Samanta)
Portuguese: Samanta
Russian: Саманта (Samanta)
Serbian: Саманта (Samanta)
Spanish: Samanta
Swahili: Samandha
Tamil: சமாந்தா (Samantha)
Telugu: సమంతా (Samantā)
Thai: ซาแมนต้า (Sāmænt̂ā)
Ukrainian: Саманта (Samanta)
Urdu: سامنتھا (Samantha)
Yiddish: סאַמאַנטהאַ (Sʼamʼanthʼa)\
Notable people
Female
Samantha Agazuma (born 1994), Nigerian cricketer
Samantha Akinyi (born 1995), Kenyan soccer player
Samantha Albert (born 1971), Canadian–born Jamaican equestrian
Samantha Leigh Allen, American journalist and author
Samantha Andreas, environmental chemist and occupational health and safety expert in the mining industry of Papua New Guinea
Samantha Arellano (born 1995), Mexican soccer player
Samantha Arévalo (born 1994), Ecuadorian swimmer
Samantha Armytage (born 1976), Australian journalist and television news reporter
Samantha Arsenault (born 1981), American swimmer
Samantha Azzopardi (born 1988), Australian con artist
Samantha Baines (born 1987), English actress, author, and comedian
Samantha Barks (born 1990), Manx singer and actress
Samantha Barning (born 1989), Dutch badminton player
Samantha Beckinsale (born 1966), English actress
Samantha Bee (born 1969), Canadian actress and comedian
Samantha Bentley (born 1987), English pornographic actress
Samantha Bernardo (born 1992), Filipino beauty queen and television personality
Samantha Bond (born 1961), English actress
Samantha Boscarino (born 1994), American actress
Samantha Bricio (born 1994), Mexican volleyball player
Samantha Brown (born 1970), American television presenter
Samantha Browne-Walters (born 1991), American actress
Samantha A. Brugmann, American developmental biologist
Samantha Bumgarner (1878–1960), American musician
Samantha Cameron (born 1971), English business executive
Samantha Casella (born 1981), Italian actress, director, and screenwriter
Samantha Cesario (born 1993), American figure skater
Samantha Chapman (born 1977), English makeup artist
Samantha Cole (born 1978), American singer and songwriter
Samantha Colley (born 1989), English actress
Samantha Knox Condit (1837-1912), American teacher and Presbyterian missionary
Samantha Cools (born 1986), Canadian BMX racer
Samantha Cornish (born 1980), Australian surfer
Samantha Crain (born 1986), Choctaw Nation singer and songwriter
Samantha Crawford (born 1995), American tennis player
Samantha Cristoforetti (born 1977), Italian astronaut
Samantha Daniels, American professional matchmaker, television personality, television producer, author, and entrepreneur
Samantha Davies (born 1974), English yachtswoman
Samantha Davies (born 1979), British sprinter
Samantha De Reviziis (born 1985), Italian web influencer
Samantha Dixon, English politician
Samantha Dodd (born 1979), South African retired track and field athlete
Samantha Dirks (born 1992), Belizean sprinter
Samantha Dorman (born 1968), American model and actress
Samantha Dorrance (born 1992), English actress, dancer, and singer
Samantha Downie (born 1987), Australian model
Samantha Dubois (1955–1992), Dutch radio presenter
Samantha Economos (born 1994), Australian rugby league footballer
Samantha Edwards (born 1990), Antigua and Barbuda sprinter
Samantha Edwards, Indian singer and vocal coach
Samantha Eggar (born 1939), English actress
Samantha D. Elliott (born 1975), American federal judge
Samantha Ellis, British playwright and writer
Samantha Epasinghe (1967-2021), Sri Lankan actress
Samantha Ettus (born 1972), American entrepreneur, author, speaker, TV contributor and podcast host
Samantha Evans, Australian Pentecostal Christian worship leader and singer-songwriter
Samantha Everton, Australian photographic artist
Samantha Farquharson (born 1969), English athlete
Samantha Ferrari (born 1973), Italian rhythmic gymnast
Samantha Ferris (born 1968), Canadian actress and television reporter
Samantha Findlay (born 1986), American softball coach and player
Samantha Fish (born 1989), American singer and songwriter
Samantha Fisher (born 1995), Canadian curler
Samantha Fonti (born 1973), Australian film composer and classically trained violinist
Samantha Fox (born 1966), English model and singer
Samantha Fox, stage name of American pornographic film and B movie actress Stasia Micula (1959-2020)
Samantha Futerman (born 1987), South Korean–born American activist, actress, director, and writer
Samantha Gash (born 1984), Australian professional endurance athlete, social entrepreneur, and motivational speaker
Samantha Geimer (born 1963), American former model and victim in the Roman Polanski case
Samantha George, British academic
Samantha Giles (born 1971), English actress and author
Samantha Giles (born 1994), English golfer
Samantha Gillison (born 1967), Australian–born American writer
Samantha Gordon (born 2003), American football and soccer player
Samantha Gorman, American game developer
Samantha Graham (born 1969), South African politician
Samantha Greenberg, American founder, managing partner and chief investment officer (CIO) of Margate Capital Management
Samantha Grey (born 1995), Ecuadorian actress, television presenter, singer and dancer
Samantha Harris (born 1973), American television presenter, model, and entertainment reporter and actress
Samantha Harris (born 1990), Australian model
Samantha Harrison (born 1991), New Zealand field hockey player
Samantha Harvey (born 1993), English pop singer
Samantha Hayes (born 1984), South African–born New Zealand journalist
Samantha Heath (1960–2019), British politician
Samantha Hess (born 1983), American former professional cuddler and author
Samantha Hill, Canadian actress
Samantha Hill (born 1992), American water polo goalkeeper
Samantha Holland (born 1969), English actress
Samantha Holmes-Domagala (born 1977), Canadian former national women's ice hockey player
Samantha Hoopes (born 1991), American model
Samantha Hunt (born 1971), American novelist
Samantha Littlefield Huntley (1865-1949), American portrait artist
Samantha Inoue-Harte (born 1979), American voice artist
Samantha Irby (born 1980), American blogger, comedian, and author
Samantha Isler (born 1998), American actress
Samantha Jade (born 1987), Australian singer and songwriter
Samantha James (born 1979), American singer and songwriter
Samantha Katie James (born 1994), Brazilian-born Malaysian actress, model, and beauty pageant titleholder
Samantha John (born circa 1985-1986), American entrepreneur
Samantha Johnson (born 1991), American soccer defender
Samantha Jones, stage name of English former singer Jean Owen (born 1943)
Samantha Josephson (died 2019), American murder victim
Samantha Joye (born 1965), American oceanographer
Samantha Judge (born 1978), Scottish field hockey player
Samantha Juste (1944–2014), English model and television presenter
Samantha Katz (born 1985), American curator
Samantha Kelly (born 1997), Northern Irish soccer player
Samantha Kerkman (born 1974), American politician
Samantha Kerr (born 1999), Scottish footballer
Samantha Kinghorn (born 1996), Scottish wheelchair racer
Samantha Ko (born 1987), Chinese born actress and model based n Hong Kong and 2008 Miss Hong Kong contestant
Samantha Kolowratová (born 1996), Czech ice hockey player
Samantha Lam (born 1963), Hong Kong singer and songwriter
Samantha Lane (born 1979), Australian television personality and sports reporter
Samantha Lang, English–born Australian director and screenwriter
Samantha Larson (born 1988), American mountain climber
Samantha Leigh Martin (born 1985), English child actress
Samantha Leriche-Gionet (born 1985), Canadian animator, illustrator, and comic strip author
Samantha Lewes (1952–2002), American actress
Samantha Lewthwaite (born 1983), Northern Irish terrorist
Samantha Libreri (born 1982), Irish journalist
Samantha Lobatto (born 1988), Indian cricketer
Samantha Logan (born 1996), American actress
Samantha Lowe (born 1982), English judoka
Samantha Maloney (born 1975), American musician
Samantha Markle (born 1964), American mental health counselor and memoirist and paternal half-sister of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
Samantha Marshall, Antiguan politician
Samantha Martin (born 1983), Canadian singer and songwriter
Samantha Massell (born 1990), American actress and singer
Samantha Mathis (born 1970), American actress
Samantha May (born 1987), Australian former netball player
Samantha McCarthy, English actress
Samantha McClymont (born 1986), Australian singer and songwriter
Samantha McGlone (born 1979), Canadian triathlete
Samantha McIntosh, New Zealand equestrian
Samantha Mills (born 1992), Australian diver
Samantha Monahan (born 1988), American soccer player
Samantha Moore (born 1988), Canadian singer and songwriter
Samantha Morton (born 1977), English actress
Samantha Mugatsia (born 1992), Kenyan actress
Samantha Mumba (born 1983), Irish singer and actress
Samantha Munro (born 1990), Canadian actress
Samantha Murphy (born 1997), American soccer player
Samantha Murray (born 1989), English modern pentathlete
Samantha Murray Sharan (born 1987), British tennis player
Samantha Nassolo (born 1988), Ugandan entrepreneur
Samantha Navarro (born 1971), Uruguayan composer, guitarist, and singer
Samantha Nesbit (born 1982), English swimmer
Samantha Newark (born 1967), English–born American actress, musician, and singer
Samantha Nierras (born 1989), American–born Filipino soccer player
Samantha Noble (born 1984), Australian actress
Samantha Norwood (born 1989), Australian basketball player
Samantha Nugent (born 1977), American politician
Samantha Nutt (born 1969), Canadian philanthropist and physician
Samantha Page (born 1983), English newscaster
Samantha Pankey (born 1983), American rugby player
Samantha Paxinos (born 1988), Botswanan swimmer
Samantha Peszek (born 1991), American gymnast
Samantha Poling, Scottish investigative journalist
Samantha Ponder (born 1985), American sportscaster
Samantha Poolman (born 1991), Australian netball player
Samantha Power (born 1970), American diplomat and academic
Samantha Ruth Prabhu (born 1987), Indian actress
Samantha Prahalis (born 1990), American basketball player
Samantha Preston (born 1984), Canadian curler
Samantha Punch, English–Scottish professor
Samantha Purvis (born 1967), English swimmer
Samantha Quayle (born 1995), Welsh footballer
Samantha "Sam" Quek (born 1988), English television personality and former field hockey player
Samantha Ramautar (born 1987), Guyanese–American cricketer
Samantha Randle (born 1998), South African swimmer
Samantha Rapoport, American football player
Samantha Ratnam (born 1977), English–born Sri Lankan–Australian politician and social worker
Samantha Rebillet (1972–2017), French–born Australian actress, director, producer, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter
Samantha Redgrave (born 1994), British rower
Samantha Retrosi (born 1985), American luger
Samantha Reeves (born 1979), American tennis player
Samantha Richards (born 1983), Australian basketball player
Samantha Ricketts (born 1986), American softball coach and player
Samantha Ridgewell (born 1996), Canadian ice hockey player
Samantha Riley (born 1972), Aboriginal Australian swimmer
Samantha Roberts (born 2000), American–born Antiguan swimmer
Samantha Ronson (born 1977), English disk jockey, singer, and songwriter
Samantha Roscoe (born 1995), Australian basketball player
Samantha Rose (born 1954), Jamaican singer
Samantha Rowley (born 1988), English actress and model
Samantha Runnion (1996–2002), American murder victim
Samantha Rushton (born 1965), British Anglican priest
Samantha Sang (born 1951), Australian singer
Samantha Scaffidi, American actress
Samantha Shapiro (born 1993), American gymnast
Samantha Smith (1972-1985), American peace activist and child actress
Samantha Smith, American actress
Samantha Smith (gymnast) (born 1992), Canadian gymnast
Samantha Smith (born 1971), English former professional tennis player
Samantha Spiro, (born 1968), English actress and singer
Samantha Stosur (born 1984), Australian tennis player
Samantha Tajik (born 1983), Canadian model, actress and television personality
Samantha Taylor, stage name of Canadian radio and television personality Myroslava Luciw (born 1958)
Samantha Terán (born 1981), Mexican professional female squash player
Samantha Thornhill, poet, author, educator and producer from Trinidad and Tobago
Samantha Thornton (born 1966), Australian former women's basketball player
Samantha Tolj (born 1982), Australian actress
Samantha Tross (born 1968), British consultant surgeon
Samantha Urbani (born 1987), American singer and songwriter
Samantha van Diemen (born 2002), Dutch footballer
Samantha van Wissen (born 1970), Dutch dancer
Samantha Vice (born 1973), South African philosopher and academic
Samantha Vinograd (born 1983), American government official and foreign policy commentator
Samantha Virgo (born 1987), Australian former rules footballer
Samantha Wallace (born 1994), Trinidad and Tobago netball player
Samantha Wan (born circa 1990-91), Canadian actress, screenwriter, producer, and web series creator
Samantha Marie Ware (born 1991), American actress and singer
Samantha Warriner (born 1971), New Zealand retired triathlete
Samantha Watson (born 1999), American middle-distance runner
Samantha Weinberg, British novelist, journalist, and travel writer
Samantha Weinstein (born 1995), Canadian actress
Samantha Win (born 1991), Canadian actress and former wushu taolu athlete
Samantha Winders (born 1995), New Zealand netball player
Samantha Womack (born 1972), English actress and singer
Samantha Yeo (born 1997), Singaporean swimmer
Male
Samantha de Mel (born 1965), Sri Lankan-born Italian cricketer
Samantha Dodanwela (born 1970), Sri Lankan cricketer and tea company CEO
Samantha Fernando (born 1985), Sri Lankan cricketer
Samantha Sooriyabandara (died 2012), Sri Lankan army officer
K. V. Samantha Vidyaratna, Sri Lankan politician
Samantha Vithanage (born c. 1980), student murdered in Sri Lankan university
Fictional characters
Sheriff Samantha Parker, a character in the 2002 monster comedy action film Eight Legged Freaks
Samantha, a character in the 2009 American fantasy comedy movie 17 Again
Samantha, a dog character in the animated series Adventure Time episode "The Pit"
Samantha, a sentient AI from the movie Her
Samantha, the silent scorer in the BBC radio comedy panel game I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
Samantha, the protagonist from Need for Speed: Underground
Samantha, a character the panicked Olaf searches for in Disney's Frozen II (before he realizes he doesn't know a Samantha)
Samantha Albertson, a character in the movie Now and Then, played by both Gaby Hoffmann and Demi Moore
Samantha Anderson, on the American TV soap opera As the World Turns
Samantha Baker, in the film Sixteen Candles
Samantha "Sam" Barnes, in the audio drama The Bright Sessions
Sami Brady, on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives
Sammy Jo Carrington, character in the American TV series Dynasty
Samantha Carter, from the television show Stargate SG-1 and related spinoffs, one of the six original main characters
Samantha Cole, a character in the film Liar Liar
Samantha Darko, in the film Donnie Darko and its sequel, S. Darko
Samantha Fitzgerald, recurring character on the Australian soap opera Neighbours
Samantha "Sam" Giddings, one of eight protagonists from the survival horror game Until Dawn
Samantha Groves, in the television show Person of Interest, played by Amy Acker
Sam Jones, in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels
Samantha, James' seductive new boss in the 1993 film Look Who's Talking Now
Samantha Jones, in the television show Sex and the City, played by Kim Cattrall
Samantha "Sam" Kanisky, a character on the American television sitcom Gimme a Break
Samantha Kingston, in the film Before I Fall, played by Zoey Deutch
Samantha Tracy Lord, in the film High Society, played by Grace Kelly
Samantha "Sam" Manson, from Danny Phantom
Sam McCall, on the American soap opera General Hospital Samantha "Sam" Micelli, a character in the TV show Who's the Boss? Samantha "Sam" Milano, a character in the TV sitcom Step by Step Sam Mitchell, in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders Samantha "Sam" Montgomery, in the film A Cinderella Story Samantha "Sam" Moore, in the 1989 action movie No Holds Barred Samantha Mulder, Fox Mulder's sister on the TV show The X-Files Samantha Parkington, in the American Girl series
Sam Puckett, from iCarly, played by Jennette McCurdy
Samantha Spade, in the TV series Without a Trace, played by Poppy Montgomery
Samantha Stephens, in the TV show Bewitched Samantha Taggart, in the TV show ER Samantha Sammy, a fictional seal from Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo Samantha Evelyn Cook/Art3mis, Wade Watts' girlfriend in Ready Player One (2011), Ready Player One (2018 movie) and eventual wife in the end of Ready Player Two (2020) Samantha Simpson, one of the main protagonists from animated TV show Totally Spies Samantha Woodard, a character played by Nicole Eggert in the 2010 Television movie Turbulent Skies''
References
English feminine given names
Feminine given names
Given names inspired by popular culture
Sinhalese masculine given names
Sinhalese given names