NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Samer

A masculine Arabic name meaning "conversant" or "sociable companion".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Samer is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Samer popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 8 births.

This profile covers 91 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 90 living people in the UK are called Samer. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Samer ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2010, when 8 boys were registered as Samer.
  • About 90 living people in the UK are estimated to have Samer as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 95.8% of Samer registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5119

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2010

8 births

Estimated living

90

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Samer

In England and Wales birth records, Samer has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 95.8% of registrations are for boys and 4.2% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

96% boys
Boys91 (95.8%)Girls4 (4.2%)

Samer registered for boys

  • Ranked #5,119 in 2024
  • 3 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2010 (8 births)

Samer registered for girls

  • Ranked #3,142 in 1998
  • 4 girls registered in 1998
  • Peak: 1998 (4 births)

Meaning

What does Samer mean?

The name Samer is of Arabic origin, derived from the Semitic root word "samara," which means "to converse at night" or "to hold night conversations." This name has its roots in the ancient Middle Eastern cultures and can be traced back to pre-Islamic times.

In the early days of Islam, the name Samer was often associated with scholars and intellectuals who would engage in late-night discussions and debates on various subjects. It was considered a name befitting those who valued knowledge and wisdom.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Samer can be found in the "Kitab al-Aghani" (Book of Songs), a monumental anthology of Arabic poetry and literary anecdotes compiled in the 9th century CE by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Samer. One such individual was Samer bin Habib (born around 720 CE), a renowned Arab poet and scholar from Kufa, Iraq, who was known for his mastery of the Arabic language and his contributions to literature.

Another famous bearer of the name was Samer bin Saeed (born around 885 CE), a renowned Arab mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad. He made significant contributions to the fields of trigonometry and spherical geometry, and his works were widely studied and referenced by scholars throughout the Islamic world.

In the 11th century, Samer bin Ahmed al-Shahrazuri (born around 1035 CE) was a prominent Islamic philosopher and theologian from Shahrazur, modern-day Iraq. He was known for his writings on various philosophical and religious topics, and his works were widely read and discussed among scholars of his time.

During the 12th century, Samer bin Ali al-Dimashqi (born around 1150 CE) was a respected Arab historian and geographer from Damascus. He authored several books on the history and geography of the Middle East, which remain valuable sources of information for researchers and scholars today.

In more recent times, Samer Issawi (1923-2016) was a prominent Arab economist and academic from Lebanon. He made significant contributions to the study of economic development in the Middle East and was widely regarded as one of the leading experts in his field.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Samer throughout history, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and association with scholarship, wisdom, and intellectual pursuits.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Samer over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Samer in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Samer, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
02468199620102024

Decades

Samer by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Samer was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4839 9 3
2010s #3273 33 6
2000s #2746 40 8
1990s #2888 9 3

Related

Names similar to Samer

FAQ

Samer: questions and answers

How popular is the name Samer in the UK right now?

In 2024, Samer was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Samer most popular?

The peak year on record was 2010, with 8 babies registered as Samer in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Samer?

A masculine Arabic name meaning "conversant" or "sociable companion".

How many people are called Samer in the UK?

A total of 91 babies have been registered as Samer across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.