Total births
22,764
Girls' name · since 1949
Samara
Since 1949, U.S. Social Security records show 22,764 babies named Samara, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #309
- among girls today
- 22,764
- born since 1949
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other girls
22,764 babies have been named Samara since 1949, making it today's #309 girls' name.
Social Security Administration records show Samara recorded 22,764 times among girls since 1949, holding rank #309 nationally today, ahead of 98% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1949 to 2025.
- #309 among girls today
- 22,764 born since 1949
- 2010s peak decade
- 98% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Samara is currently the #309 girls' name in America, more common than 98% of girls - 22,764 born since 1949, peaking in the 2010s.
- #309
- among girls today
- 22,764
- born since 1949
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other girls
Samara vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#309
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 98% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Samara was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
1,270 babies were named Samara in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Samara compares
22,764 Top 5% higher than 95% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Samara's all-time total is 60x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Samara | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 22,764 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 1,270 | 48 | 19,840 |
Samara's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Samara's SSA record in two at 1987 and the more recent half accounts for 92% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 8%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1949, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2018 peak of 1,270, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Samara at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
2018
Current rank
#309
Active since
1949
Samara popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1949–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 1,270
- Annual births at peak, across 77 years of records
Samara popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 2023 (Samara as boys' name)
Samara by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Samara's strongest decade.
6,853 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Samara births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 68
1950s
68 births
- 1960s 180
1960s
180 births
- 1970s 898
1970s
898 births
- 1980s 1,082
1980s
1,082 births
- 1990s 1,772
1990s
1,772 births
- 2000s
2000s
5,967 births
- 2010s
2010s
6,853 births
- 2020s
2020s
5,939 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 6,853 births (30% of all-time use).
How Samara compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Samara's total volume
Samara vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Samara by state
Where Samara concentrates geographically, total births since 1949
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 3,191 | 14.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 2,486 | 10.9% |
| #3 | New York | | 2,055 | 9.0% |
| #4 | Florida | | 1,476 | 6.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 812 | 3.6% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 738 | 3.2% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 632 | 2.8% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 618 | 2.7% |
California share of Samara's total US births 14.0%
Even split
3,191 of 22,764 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 46 reporting states.
Samara appears in 46 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Samara? ▼
22,764 babies have been named Samara since 1949. It currently ranks #309 among girls. The peak year was 2018 with 1,270 births.
When was Samara most popular? ▼
Samara was most popular in the 2010s decade with 6,853 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Samara most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Samara are California (3,191 births), Texas (2,486 births), New York (2,055 births).
How long has the name Samara been used? ▼
Records for Samara go back to 1949, giving 77 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Samara? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Samantha, Samira, Sammie, Samiyah, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Samara's data
- Samara's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (6,853 total births) through the 2020s (5,939) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Samaras (3,191 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Samara
Nearby Names Like Samara
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Samara
Samantha Girl
#126 592,847 births
Samira Girl
#774 8,875 births
Sammie Girl
#4389 7,833 births
Samiyah Girl
#1439 5,255 births
Samaria Girl
#1726 4,511 births
Compare Samara side by side: Samara vs Samantha Samara vs Samira Samara vs Sammie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Samara
Brooke #308
198,491 births · Peak 1996
Rosie #310
85,556 births · Peak 1927
Amina #307
19,270 births · Peak 2017
Kendall #311
66,533 births · Peak 2012
Danna #306
25,106 births · Peak 2010
Alayna #312
35,589 births · Peak 2013
Londyn #305
27,245 births · Peak 2014
Angelina #313
126,281 births · Peak 2005
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1949–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Samara: #309 Girls' Name - 22,764 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/samara. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Samara draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.