Samantha vs Zoe
Samantha and Zoecompared 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 2013, Samantha was ranked #84 and Zoe #15 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2015, Samantha was ranked #85 and Zoe #17 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Samantha was ranked #885 and Zoe #46 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Samantha was ranked #446 and Zoe #61 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Samantha was ranked #541 and Zoe #76 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Samantha was ranked #778 and Zoe #104 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Samantha was ranked #525 and Zoe #313 among girls in Norway.
Samantha and Zoe over time
Samantha and Zoe appear together in 6 published lists, across 197 years of shared records. Zoe 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.
Samantha reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Zoe 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.
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 2001, Zoe moved ahead of Samantha in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #13 and #17 the year before became #18 and #14.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Samantha and Zoe changed places 7 times in Norway · Girls between 1987 and 2025, ending at #525 and #313.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Samantha and Zoe averaged 41.5 places apart, ending at #84 and #15.
- Longest-running competitions
Samantha and Zoe were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #778 and #104.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Samantha #32 in 1996, Zoe #31 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #32 and #31 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #778 and #104.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1968–2025
Samantha held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Zoe in 30.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #33 in 1986, Zoe #26 in 2016.
The order changed in 1995: Zoe moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #56 and #96; by 1995 that had become #61 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Samantha #885, Zoe #46.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls32 shared years, 1981–2013
Samantha held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Zoe in 13.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #3 in 1992, Zoe #14 in 2001.
The order changed in 2001: Zoe moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #13 and #17; by 2001 that had become #18 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Samantha #84, Zoe #15.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Samantha held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Zoe in 29.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #32 in 1996, Zoe #31 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Samantha #778, Zoe #104.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1988–2015
Samantha held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Zoe in 10.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #3 in 1989, Zoe #11 in 2010.
The order changed in 2006: Zoe moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #21 and #26; by 2006 that had become #23 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Samantha #85, Zoe #17.
Norway · Girls27 shared years, 1987–2025
Samantha held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Zoe in 14.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #298 in 2015, Zoe #211 in 2020.
The order changed in 2016: Zoe moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #298 and #428; by 2016 that had become #492 and #370.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Samantha #525, Zoe #313.
Northern Ireland · Girls23 shared years, 1997–2021
Samantha held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Zoe in 23.
Highest recorded here: Samantha #57 in 2000, Zoe #32 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Samantha #446, Zoe #61.
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 | Zoe |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Means 'life' in Greek. |
| Origin | Hebrew, feminine adaptation (uncertain suffix origin) | Ancient Greek |
| Pronunciation | /sə.ˈmæn.θə/ | /ˈzoʊi/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Girls #19 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Zoe is recorded with a Ancient Greek origin.
- Samantha has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Zoe.
- Samantha's recorded meaning differs from Zoe'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
Zoe
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1981–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1981–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #104 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls