Total births
167
Boys' name · since 1997
Samba
Samba has 167 recorded births since 1997 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9416
- among boys today
- 167
- born since 1997
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 34%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Samba is the #9416 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 167 recorded since 1997.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Samba has been recorded 167 times among boys since 1997, currently ranked #9416 nationally and more common than 34% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1997 to 2024.
- #9416 among boys today
- 167 born since 1997
- 2010s peak decade
- 34% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Samba is currently the #9416 boys' name in America, more common than 34% of boys - 167 born since 1997, peaking in the 2010s.
- #9416
- among boys today
- 167
- born since 1997
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 34%
- more common than other boys
Samba vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9416
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 34% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
48% of everyone ever named Samba was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
14 babies were named Samba in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Samba compares
167 35th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Samba's all-time total is 54% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Samba | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 167 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 14 | 23 | 22,252 |
Samba's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Samba's SSA record in two at 2012 and the more recent half accounts for 52% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 48%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1997, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2008 peak of 14, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Samba at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2008
Current rank
#9,416
Active since
1997
Samba popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1997–2024
- Peak year (2008)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 28 years of records
Samba by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Samba's strongest decade.
80 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Samba births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s
2000s
55 births
- 2010s
2010s
80 births
- 2020s 27
2020s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 80 births (48% of all-time use).
Samba by state
Where Samba concentrates geographically, total births since 1997
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 5 | 3.0% |
New York share of Samba's total US births 3.0%
5 of 167 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Samba? ▼
Samba has been given to 167 babies in the U.S. since 1997, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #9416 as of the latest data. 14 babies were born in 2008, its single highest year.
When was Samba most popular? ▼
Samba was most popular in the 2010s decade with 80 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Samba most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Samba are New York (5 births).
How long has the name Samba been used? ▼
Samba has been recorded in Social Security data since 1997, spanning 28 years of data through 2024.
What names are similar to Samba? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Samuel, Sam, Sammy, Sammie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Samba's data
- Samba's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (80 total births) through the 2020s (27) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Sambas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Samba
Nearby Names Like Samba
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Samba
Samuel Boy
#17 820,196 births
Sam Boy
#650 127,234 births
Sammy Boy
#1544 43,382 births
Sammie Boy
#4893 20,836 births
Samson Boy
#522 12,879 births
Compare Samba side by side: Samba vs Samuel Samba vs Sam Samba vs Sammy
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Samba
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, 1997–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Samba: #9416 Boys' Name - 167 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/samba. 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 Samba 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.