Amy vs Samantha
Amy 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.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #82 and Samantha #50 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2012, Amy was ranked #90 and Samantha #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Amy was ranked #108 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #366 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Amy was ranked #457 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.
Amy and Samantha over time
Amy and Samantha appear together in 6 published lists, across 218 years of shared records. Amy held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Samantha in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Amy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Samantha in 1. 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 moved ahead of the other
In 1988, Samantha moved ahead of Amy in New Zealand · Girls — #7 and #8 the year before became #9 and #5.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Amy and Samantha changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1975 and 2012, ending at #90 and #91.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Samantha averaged 8.5 places apart, ending at #90 and #91.
- Longest-running competitions
Amy and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #366 and #778.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Amy #9 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls59 shared years, 1967–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Samantha in 12.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Samantha #33 in 1986.
The order changed in 1979: Amy moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #124 and #113; by 1979 that had become #103 and #111.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Samantha #885.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1975–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Samantha in 21.
Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Samantha #3 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #90, Samantha #91.
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1984–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Samantha in 11.
Highest recorded here: Amy #269 in 2008, Samantha #298 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #457, Samantha #525.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1978–2012
Amy held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Samantha in 25.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Samantha #3 in 1989.
The order changed in 1988: Samantha moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #7 and #8; by 1988 that had become #9 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Amy #82, Samantha #50.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Amy held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #366, Samantha #778.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2021
Amy held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Samantha #57 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Amy #108, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Amy | Samantha |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) |
| Pronunciation | /sə.ˈmæn.θə/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025) | Norway · Girls #525 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Samantha has a recorded origin (Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin)); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
- Amy has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Samantha.
- A meaning is recorded for Samantha; Amy doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Amy
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1975–2012
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #366 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Samantha
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1966–2013
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1992 (recorded 1966–2013).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #778 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls