Francis vs Sam
Francis and Samcompared 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Francis was ranked #309 and Sam #50 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Francis was ranked #352 and Sam #127 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Francis was ranked #278 and Sam #187 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Francis was ranked #193 and Sam #334 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Francis was ranked #316 and Sam #289 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2023, Francis was ranked #1863 and Sam #4056 among girls in England and Wales.
Francis and Sam over time
Francis and Sam appear together in 4 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Sam held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Francis in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Francis reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Sam 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 2019, Francis moved ahead of Sam in England and Wales · Boys — #238 and #207 the year before became #196 and #249.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Francis and Sam changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1960 and 2025, ending at #316 and #289.
- Longest-running competitions
Francis and Sam were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 43 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #309 and #50.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Francis #188 in 1996, Sam #47 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys43 shared years, 1983–2025
Francis held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sam in 28.
Highest recorded here: Francis #51 in 1983, Sam #38 in 2015.
The order changed in 1998: Sam moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #99 and #129; by 1998 that had become #150 and #92.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Francis #309, Sam #50.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Francis held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sam in 23.
Highest recorded here: Francis #188 in 1996, Sam #47 in 1996.
The order changed in 2019: Francis moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #238 and #207; by 2019 that had become #196 and #249.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Francis #193, Sam #334.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Francis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sam in 27.
Highest recorded here: Francis #100 in 1997, Sam #44 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Francis #278, Sam #187.
Norway · Boys23 shared years, 1960–2025
Francis held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Sam in 17.
Highest recorded here: Francis #316 in 2025, Sam #171 in 2024.
The order changed in 2002: Sam moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #467 and #482; by 2002 that had become #472 and #453.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Francis #316, Sam #289.
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 | Francis | Sam |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| 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 · Boys #309 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Francis has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sam.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Francis
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #74 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #316 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Sam
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #340 among boys in Norway in 1959 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1983–2025
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1983–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #289 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys