The Origin and Meaning of the Name Samantha

Are you looking for a powerful name for your little girl that will never go out of style? Then you should consider the name Samantha.

Reviewed and approved by the teacher Samanta Ruiz.

Written by Samanta Ruiz

Last update: 30 September, 2022

If you like those names that never go out of style, this information is sure to interest you. We invite you to learn more about the origin and meaning of the name Samantha, an beautiful option for you to consider when choosing what to name your little girl.

This name has gone through moments of popularity and lack thereof, but it always comes back to the list of the most chosen. Besides, it’s so beautiful and mysterious that even today, many people choose it for their daughters.

Learn all about this name that’s often considered to be a bit witchy!

What does it mean and what is the origin of Samantha?

Experts beleive that the etymology of the name Samantha is of Hebrew origin and that it could derive from the masculine Samuel or Shemu, which means “God”. Literally, it would be “in the name of God”.

The feminine version could have been formed by adding to the masculine name Samuel, the suffix antha, which comes from the Greek anthos and means “flower”. In addition, there are records of the name Samantha as early as the 17th-century in England, although it really became popular later, in the time of the English American colonies in North America.

Samantha, in other languages

The name Samantha is universal and exists in a great number of languages and dialects around the world:

• French, Italian, German, Dutch and Spanish: Samantha.
• Spanish, Bulgarian, Russian and Serbian: Samanta.
• Traditional Chinese 薩曼莎: Sàmànshā.
• Hindi सामन्था: Sāmanthā.
• Hungarian: Szamanta.
• Japanese サマンサ: Samansa.

In addition, there are some abbreviations of the name that have a very endearing sound, such as Sam, Sami, Sammy, Samy, Maty and Matty.

Celebrities and characters with the name Samantha

Most of the famous women named Samantha are originally from English-speaking countries. Some of them are real and others are names of characters from series or movies:

• Samantha Arsenault: Olympic swimming champion in Sydney 2000. She’s of American origin.
• Samantha Baker: Character in the comedy Sixteen Candles, played by Molly Ringwald.
• Samantha “Sam” Carter: Character played by Amanda Tapping in the Stargate saga.
• Samantha Harris: American actress. She’s one of the hosts of the TV show Dancing with the Stars.
• Samantha Jones: Character played by Kim Cattral in the successful TV series Sex and the City.
• Samantha Jane Morton: English director and actress. She participated in productions such as Jane Eyre, Emma, and Under the Skin.
• Samantha “Sam” Micelli: Character from the TV series Who’s the Boss? played by Alyssa Milano.
• Samantha Stosur: Australian-born tennis player who became world number one in doubles.
• Samantha Tracy Lord: Name of the leading lady of the musical comedy High Society, an unforgettable role of the beautiful Grace Kelly.

Samantha, an empowered woman’s name

Samantha is a name linked to characters from who are ahead of their times. For example, this was the name given to the protagonist of the 1877 series of novels, Samantha at the Centennial, by Marietta Holley. This writer is considered to have been one of the best writers of the 19th century in the United States, on par with Mark Twain, but was given less importance because of her womanhood. Holley portrayed Samantha as an intelligent woman who defied the canons in those times of inequality.

Another character named Samantha was the protagonist of Bewitched., a successful ABC series that ran for eight seasons, from 1964 to 1972. Created in the midst of the era of civil rights recognition and awareness of discrimination, Bewitched showed an example of tolerance and respect between two beings from different worlds. The popularity of the saga earned Samantha a place on the list of the 100 most popular names in the United States and has remained there from 1976 to the present.

Want to discover more girls’ names?

Without a doubt, the origin and meaning of the name Samantha is very interesting. For this reason, you may want to add it to your list of favorites! However, you also have other girls’ names to explore that also have a lot of history and personality, such as Emily, Arya, or Carmen. In addition, you can do more searches on our site for lists of names from different countries, such as Iranian, English, or Catalan.

Do you prefer to search by letter? You can do that too and you have hundreds of options!