Namewise

Amelia vs Samantha

Amelia and Samanthacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Amelia was ranked #3 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2013, Amelia was ranked #3 and Samantha #84 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Amelia was ranked #7 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2015, Amelia was ranked #9 and Samantha #85 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Amelia was ranked #11 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Amelia was ranked #12 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Amelia was ranked #39 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.

Amelia and Samantha over time

Amelia and Samantha appear together in 6 published lists, across 194 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 6 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Samantha reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Amelia in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One took the other's place near the top

    In England and Wales · Girls, Amelia moved into the top 50 at #37 in 1999 as Samantha fell out of it to #51, having been #44 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1999, Amelia moved ahead of Samantha in England and Wales · Girls — #48 and #44 the year before became #37 and #51.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amelia and Samantha averaged 46.9 places apart, ending at #3 and #84.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amelia and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #3 and #778.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1968–2025

    Amelia held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Samantha in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2017, Samantha #33 in 1986.

    The order changed in 2004: Amelia moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #162 and #143; by 2004 that had become #99 and #153.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #12, Samantha #885.

  • Norway · Girls31 shared years, 1989–2025

    Amelia held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Samantha in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #32 in 2019, Samantha #298 in 2015.

    The order changed in 1994: Amelia moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #652 and #383; by 1994 that had become #398 and #543.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #39, Samantha #525.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Amelia held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Samantha in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #1 in 2011, Samantha #32 in 1996.

    The order changed in 1999: Amelia moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #48 and #44; by 1999 that had become #37 and #51.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amelia #3, Samantha #778.

  • New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1986–2015

    Amelia held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Samantha in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #6 in 2014, Samantha #3 in 1989.

    The order changed in 2005: Amelia moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #22 and #12; by 2005 that had become #20 and #21.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Amelia #9, Samantha #85.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls27 shared years, 1985–2013

    Amelia held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Samantha in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #3 in 2013, Samantha #3 in 1992.

    The order changed in 2003: Amelia moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #33 and #27; by 2003 that had become #20 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Amelia #3, Samantha #84.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2021

    Amelia held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Samantha in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Amelia #4 in 2012, Samantha #57 in 2000.

    The order changed in 2005: Amelia moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #155 and #155; by 2005 that had become #89 and #106.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Amelia #11, Samantha #446.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Amelia

Pairs where Amelia shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Samantha

Pairs where Samantha shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one took the other's place near the top.

All one took the other's place near the top→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Amelia, Samantha
FieldAmeliaSamantha
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'work' or 'industrious', with usage strongly influenced by the separate Roman name Aemilia.Likely a feminine adaptation of Samuel, incorporating a suffix possibly derived from Greek 'anthos' ('flower'). Emerged in 18th-century America; boosted to wide popularity by the 1964 television series Bewitched.
OriginLatin (influence)Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin)
Pronunciation/əˈmiːliə//sə.ˈmæn.θə/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesAmelie, Amalia, Amy, MiaNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationUnited Kingdom #1 (2025)Norway · Girls #525 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Amelia is recorded with a Latin (influence) origin, while Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin.
  • Amelia and Samantha both have 3 syllables.
  • Amelia's recorded meaning differs from Samantha's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Amelia a "high" Data Confidence level and Samantha a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Amelia

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Samantha

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #79 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2013

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #778 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls