Roman vs Samson
Roman and Samsoncompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Roman was ranked #32 and Samson #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Roman was ranked #46 and Samson #619 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Roman was ranked #134 and Samson #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Roman was ranked #342 and Samson #342 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Roman was ranked #438 and Samson #439 among boys in Norway.
Roman and Samson over time
Roman and Samson appear together in 3 published lists, across 65 years of shared records. Roman held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Samson in 0.
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.
Samson reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Roman 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Roman and Samson changed places 8 times in Norway · Boys between 1969 and 2025, ending at #438 and #439.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Roman held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Samson in 3.
Highest recorded here: Roman #23 in 2021, Samson #452 in 2016.
The order changed in 2000: Roman moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #809 and #718; by 2000 that had become #401 and #651.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Roman #32, Samson #651.
Norway · Boys25 shared years, 1969–2025
Roman held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Samson in 7.
Highest recorded here: Roman #233 in 1974, Samson #359 in 2015.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Roman #438, Samson #439.
Republic of Ireland · Boys11 shared years, 2001–2024
Roman held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Samson in 2.
Highest recorded here: Roman #134 in 2024, Samson #347 in 2001.
The order changed in 2007: Roman moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #596 and #384; by 2007 that had become #404 and #527.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Roman #134, Samson #785.
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 | Roman | Samson |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Latin Romanus, meaning 'Roman' — borne by several early saints and medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Latin, widely used across Slavic and Germanic languages | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈro.man/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #50 (2025) | Norway · Boys #439 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Roman has a recorded origin (Latin, widely used across Slavic and Germanic languages); Samson does not have one recorded yet.
- Roman and Samson both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Roman; Samson doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Roman
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #333 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #50 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Samson
Popularity journey
First recorded1969
First recorded at #541 among boys in Norway in 1969 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #439 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys