Samantha vs Stephanie
Samantha and Stephaniecompared 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 Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Samantha was ranked #21 and Stephanie #99 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2010, Samantha was ranked #67 and Stephanie #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Samantha was ranked #885 and Stephanie #294 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2018, Samantha was ranked #313 and Stephanie #434 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2018, Samantha was ranked #378 and Stephanie #527 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Samantha was ranked #541 and Stephanie #541 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Samantha was ranked #778 and Stephanie #719 among girls in England and Wales.
Samantha and Stephanie over time
Samantha and Stephanie appear together in 6 published lists, across 204 years of shared records. Samantha held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Stephanie 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.
Samantha reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Stephanie 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 1986, Samantha moved ahead of Stephanie in New Zealand · Girls — #29 and #27 the year before became #16 and #25.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Samantha and Stephanie changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Girls between 1996 and 2025, ending at #778 and #719.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Samantha and Stephanie averaged 57.2 places apart, ending at #778 and #719.
- Mirrored each other
Over 23 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Samantha rose about as far as Stephanie fell — from #99 and #63 in 1978 to #21 and #99 in 2005.
- Longest-running competitions
Samantha and Stephanie were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #778 and #719.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Samantha #32 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Samantha held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Stephanie in 36.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #33 in 1986, Stephanie #23 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Samantha #885, Stephanie #294.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls45 shared years, 1966–2010
Samantha held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Stephanie in 1.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #3 in 1992, Stephanie #5 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Samantha #67, Stephanie #73.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Samantha held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Stephanie in 6.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #32 in 1996, Stephanie #48 in 1996.
The order changed in 2025: Stephanie moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #670 and #811; by 2025 that had become #778 and #719.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Samantha #778, Stephanie #719.
Norway · Girls27 shared years, 1969–2018
Samantha held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Stephanie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #358 in 2005, Stephanie #178 in 1989.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Samantha #378, Stephanie #527.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1978–2005
Samantha held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Stephanie in 7.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #3 in 1989, Stephanie #11 in 1991.
The order changed in 1986: Samantha moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #29 and #27; by 1986 that had become #16 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Samantha #21, Stephanie #99.
Northern Ireland · Girls19 shared years, 1997–2018
Samantha held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Stephanie in 2.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #57 in 2000, Stephanie #50 in 1997.
The order changed in 2017: Samantha moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #306 and #276; by 2017 that had become #239 and #432.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Samantha #313, Stephanie #434.
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 | Samantha | Stephanie |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | 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. | The feminine form of Stephen, from Greek Stephanos meaning 'crown, wreath'. |
| Origin | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /sə.ˈmæn.θə/ | /ˈstɛf.ə.ni/ |
| 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 #525 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #294 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 65/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 70/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Samantha is recorded with a Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) origin, while Stephanie is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Samantha and Stephanie both have 3 syllables.
- Samantha's recorded meaning differs from Stephanie'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
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
Stephanie
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #97 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–2010
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1994 (recorded 1953–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls