James vs Samuel
Head-to-head: full US statistics and history since 1880.
James
a steady, dependable choice
- Rank today
- #6
- Peak
- #1 (1940)
- Babies in 2025
- 11,945
- Classroom
- likely the only one
- Strongest states
- CA, TX, NY
VS
Samuel
a vintage name making a comeback
- Rank today
- #18
- Peak
- #17 (1880)
- Babies in 2025
- 8,334
- Classroom
- likely the only one
- Strongest states
- TX, CA, FL
The verdict
James is the more popular pick (#6 vs #18). Both sit in a similar popularity band — James is a steady, dependable choice, Samuel is a vintage name making a comeback.
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