Maria vs Samantha
Maria 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1985, Maria was ranked #95 and Samantha #14 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #62 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Maria was ranked #97 and Samantha #70 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #74 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Maria was ranked #88 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Maria was ranked #120 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Maria was ranked #131 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Maria and Samantha over time
Maria and Samantha appear together in 6 published lists, across 205 years of shared records. Maria held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Samantha in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Maria reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Samantha in 2. 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 2005, Maria moved ahead of Samantha in England and Wales · Girls — #113 and #105 the year before became #115 and #131.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Maria and Samantha averaged 57.4 places apart, ending at #97 and #70.
- Longest-running competitions
Maria and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #88 and #778.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #61 and #61 in Northern Ireland · Girls, 0 places apart; by 2021 they were #131 and #446.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Maria #23 in 1967, Samantha #33 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #74, Samantha #885.
Norway · Girls43 shared years, 1969–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Maria #3 in 1985, Samantha #298 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #62, Samantha #525.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Maria held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Samantha in 9.
Highest recorded here: Maria #66 in 2018, Samantha #32 in 1996.
The order changed in 2005: Maria moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #113 and #105; by 2005 that had become #115 and #131.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Maria #88, Samantha #778.
New Zealand · Girls30 shared years, 1978–2014
Maria held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Samantha in 25.
Highest recorded here: Maria #45 in 1978, Samantha #3 in 1989.
The order changed in 1984: Samantha moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #72 and #80; by 1984 that had become #76 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Maria #97, Samantha #70.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2021
Maria held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Samantha in 1.
Highest recorded here: Maria #49 in 2009, Samantha #57 in 2000.
The order changed in 2001: Maria moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #68 and #57; by 2001 that had become #65 and #90.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Maria #131, Samantha #446.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls19 shared years, 1966–1985
Maria held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Samantha in 14.
Highest recorded here: Maria #13 in 1966, Samantha #14 in 1985.
The order changed in 1971: Samantha moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #22 and #36; by 1971 that had become #28 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Maria #95, Samantha #14.
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 | Maria | Samantha |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The Latin form of Greek Maria, from Hebrew Miryam (see Mary). | 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 | Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) |
| Pronunciation | /mɑ.ˈriː.ɑ/ | /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 | Norway · Girls #62 (2025) | Norway · Girls #525 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Maria is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Latin transmission origin, while Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin.
- Maria has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Samantha.
- Maria'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.
How each name got here
Maria
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #88 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