Samantha is a popular given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "accompanied by others." It gained prominence through its use in the novel and subsequent film "Samantha: An Adventure Novel for Girls," written by Marietta Holmes in 1887. The name Samantha also has ties to ancient Hindu mythology as it is another name for Goddess Durga, symbolizing power and courage. In English-speaking countries, Samantha typically ranks among the top 500 names for girls. It is often abbreviated as Sam or Sammy, offering variations for a nickname.
The name Samantha peaked in popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with a record high of 121 births in 1991. Since then, its usage has steadily declined, with only 7 births recorded in 2016 and 9 in 2019. The total number of births with the name Samantha from 1965 to 2019 is 1985.