Natalie vs Samantha
Natalie 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 2011, Natalie was ranked #58 and Samantha #72 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2014, Natalie was ranked #84 and Samantha #70 among girls in New Zealand.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Natalie was ranked #269 and Samantha #525 among girls in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Natalie was ranked #350 and Samantha #446 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Natalie was ranked #381 and Samantha #885 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Natalie was ranked #541 and Samantha #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Natalie was ranked #634 and Samantha #778 among girls in England and Wales.
Natalie and Samantha over time
Natalie and Samantha appear together in 6 published lists, across 228 years of shared records. Samantha held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Natalie in 2.
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.
Natalie 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 2008, Natalie moved ahead of Samantha in England and Wales · Girls — #151 and #147 the year before became #143 and #158.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Natalie and Samantha changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1966 and 2011, ending at #58 and #72.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Natalie and Samantha averaged 13.0 places apart, ending at #58 and #72.
- Longest-running competitions
Natalie and Samantha were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #634 and #778.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Natalie #42 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Natalie held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Samantha in 45.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #76 in 1992, Samantha #33 in 1986.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #381, Samantha #885.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls46 shared years, 1966–2011
Natalie held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Samantha in 27.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #9 in 1976, Samantha #3 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Natalie #58, Samantha #72.
Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1978–2025
Natalie held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Samantha in 0.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #69 in 2005, Samantha #298 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #269, Samantha #525.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Natalie held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Samantha in 12.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #42 in 1996, Samantha #32 in 1996.
The order changed in 2008: Natalie moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #151 and #147; by 2008 that had become #143 and #158.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #634, Samantha #778.
New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1978–2014
Natalie held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Samantha in 22.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #16 in 1984, Samantha #3 in 1989.
The order changed in 1986: Samantha moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #22 and #29; by 1986 that had become #37 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Natalie #84, Samantha #70.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2021
Natalie held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Samantha in 14.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #66 in 1997, Samantha #57 in 2000.
The order changed in 2018: Natalie moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #432 and #239; by 2018 that had become #238 and #313.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Natalie #350, 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 | Natalie | Samantha |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Roman names Natalis/Natalia, from Latin 'natalis' ('relating to birth, birthday') — connecting the name to Christmas Day as Jesus's traditional birthday. | 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 | Latin | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnæt.ə.li/ | /sə.ˈmæn.θə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #269 (2025) | Norway · Girls #525 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Natalie is recorded with a Latin origin, while Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin.
- Natalie and Samantha both have 3 syllables.
- Natalie'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
Natalie
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2014
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1964–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #634 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