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| Pronunciation | /səˈmænθə/ sə-MAN-thə |
|---|---|
| Gender | Both (usually feminine) |
| Language(s) | |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Disputed |
| Other names | |
| Nickname(s) | |
| Related names |
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Samantha is a feminine given name.
| | |
| Pronunciation | /səˈmænθə/ sə-MAN-thə |
|---|---|
| Gender | Both (usually feminine) |
| Language(s) | |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Disputed |
| Other names | |
| Nickname(s) | |
| Related names |
|
Samantha is a feminine given name.
The name was recorded in the 18th century in New England, but its etymology is uncertain. [1] Speculation (without evidence) has suggested an origin from the masculine given name Samuel [2] and anthos, the Greek word for "flower". [3] One theory is that it was a feminine form of Samuel, to which the already existing feminine name Anthea was added. [2]
"Samantha" remained a rare name until the 1873 publication of the first novel in a series by Marietta Holley, featuring the adventures of a woman named "Samantha," wife of Josiah Allen. [1] The series led to the rise in the name's popularity, ranking among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States from 1880, the earliest year for which records are available, to 1902. [4]
The name was out of fashion in the United States for the majority of the first half of the 20th century but reappeared among the top 1,000 names for girls in 1958, when it ranked in 998th position, and in 1959, when it ranked in 993rd place. Those rankings followed the release of the 1956 film High Society , in which Grace Kelly played a character with the middle name Samantha. The movie introduced a song titled "I Love You, Samantha" by the famed composer Cole Porter.
After 1959 the name fell off the top 1,000 list again until 1964, when it reappeared in 472nd place and leapt another 293 places to 179th place in 1965, coinciding with the 1964 debut of the popular television show Bewitched, featuring as a lead character a young witch named "Samantha Stephens." [5] [6]
The name has remained consistently popular in the United States since the 1960s. It has ranked among the top 200 names for girls since 1965 and was among the top 100 names for girls between 1976 and 2020. It peaked in popularity between 1986 and 2006, when it was among the ten most popular names for American newborn girls. It reached the pinnacle of its popularity in 1998, when it was the third most popular name for American newborn girls. It has since declined in popularity, but is still well used. [7] The name has also been well-used in other English-speaking countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom as well as in Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain. [8]
In Sri Lanka, Samantha is used as a masculine given name, being one of the forms of the name of the god Saman . This usage has no known connection with the feminine version.
Alexandra is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander. Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb ἀλέξειν and ἀνήρ. Thus it may be roughly translated as "defender of man" or "protector of man". The name Alexandra was one of the epithets given to the Greek goddess Hera and as such is usually taken to mean "one who comes to save warriors". The earliest attested form of the name is the Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀩𐀏𐀭𐀅𐀨, written in the Linear B syllabic script. Alexandra and its masculine equivalent, Alexander, are both common names in Greece as well as countries where Germanic, Romance, and Slavic languages are spoken.
Amanda is a Latin feminine gerundive name meaning, literally, "she who must be loved". Other translations, with similar meaning, could be "deserving to be loved," "worthy of love," or "loved very much by everyone." Its diminutive form includes Mandy, Manda and Amy. It is common in countries where Germanic and Romance languages are spoken.
Lauren is mostly a feminine given name. The name's meaning may be "laurel tree", "sweet of honor", or "wisdom". It is derived from the French name Laurence, a feminine version of Laurent, which is in turn derived from the Roman surname Laurentius.
Sarah is a common feminine given name of Hebrew origin. It derives its popularity from the biblical matriarch Sarah, the wife of Abraham and a major figure in the Abrahamic religions. It is a consistently popular given name across Europe, North America, and the Middle East — being commonly used as a female first name by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, and remaining popular also among non-religious members of cultures influenced by these religions.
Megan is a Welsh feminine given name, originally a diminutive form of Margaret. Margaret is from the Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs), Latin margarīta, "pearl". Megan is one of the most popular Welsh-language names for women in Wales and England, and is commonly truncated to Meg.
,
Alyssa is a feminine given name with multiple origins. Alysa is an alternative spelling.
Jessica is a female given name of Hebrew origin.
Kate is a feminine given name, and a short form of the names Katherine, Caitlin and others.
Natalie or Nathaly is a feminine given name of English and French origin, derived from the Latin phrase natale domini, meaning "birth of the Lord". Further alternative spellings of the name include Nathalie, Natalee, and Natalia/Natalija.
Rachel, meaning "ewe", is a feminine given name of Hebrew origin, popularized by the biblical figure Rachel, the wife of Israelite patriarch Jacob.
Riley is a transferred use of an English surname derived from Old English ryge ‘rye’ + lēah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’.
Mackenzie is a unisex given name. It is derived from the Scottish surname, from the Gaelic MacCoinnich.
Tiffany is a primarily English feminine form of the Greek given name Theophania. It was formerly often given to children born on the feast of Theophania, that is, Epiphany. The equivalent Greek male name is Theophanes (Θεοφάνης), commonly shortened to Phanis (Φάνης) and the female is Theophania (Θεοφανία) or Theophano (Θεοφανώ), colloquially Phani (Φανή).
Mandy can be used as a given name, a diminutive, or a nickname, for both female and male genders. It is often used as a diminutive of the female names Amanda and Miranda, as well as being a given name in its own right. It is also used as a diminutive for the masculine names Armand, Armando, Mandel, Mansur or Emmanuel. Variants, for both male and female, include Mandi, Mandie, and Manda.
Stephanie is a female name that comes from the Greek name Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning "crown, wreath, garland". The male form is Stephen. Forms of Stephanie in other languages include the German "Stefanie", the Italian, Czech, Polish, and Russian "Stefania", the Portuguese Estefânia, and the Spanish Estefanía. The form Stéphanie is from the French language, but Stephanie is now widely used both in English- and Spanish-speaking cultures.
The name Brooke is most commonly a female given name and less commonly a male given name, also used as a surname. Other forms include Brook. The name "Brooke" is of English origin.
Nikita is a common name in Eastern Europe and Greece. The Russian variant originated as a Greek name, and subsequently Russian name. The Ukrainian and Belarusian variants are Mykyta, and Mikita, respectively. The Romanian variant is Nichita. The name is derived from the Greek Nicetas. The Greek name entered Slavic onomastics by way of the veneration of Saint Nicetas the Goth in the Russian/Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Sam is a given name as well as a nickname, often used by people named Samuel, Sameer, Samira, Samson, and Samantha, Samjhana.
Courtney is a unisex given name.
