Percy vs Sam
Percy 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 2022, Percy was ranked #779 and Sam #50 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Percy was ranked #418 and Sam #94 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Percy was ranked #727 and Sam #127 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Percy was ranked #332 and Sam #334 among boys in England and Wales.
Percy and Sam over time
Percy and Sam appear together in 1 published list, across 26 years of shared records. Sam held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Percy in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Sam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Percy 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys26 shared years, 1998–2024
Percy held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Sam in 25.
Highest recorded here: Percy #332 in 2024, Sam #49 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Percy #332, Sam #334.
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 | Percy | 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #332 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #50 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Percy has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sam.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Percy
Popularity journey
First recorded1998
First recorded at #2901 among boys in England and Wales in 1998 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded1998–2024
Highest recorded position: #332 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024 (recorded 1998–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #332 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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