Full Names for Sam

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On a boy, he's the quintessential guys' guy name. On a girl, she's the ultimate tomboy name. No matter which gender you prefer it on, there's no denying the appeal of Sam. There are plenty of options beyond Samuel and Samantha--take a look.


Boy

Balsam- I love an unusual name with a common nickname, and Balsam is just that. He's got great nature vibes, and is probably the most unexpected way to get to Sam for a boy.

Samar- I've talked about Samar in the past--he's one of my favorite Arabic names. Samar is actually a unisex name, and means "evening conversation" (isn't that the best?).

Samir- Samir is super similar to Samar (they share the same roots), yet has a slightly different feel. While Samar is gentlemanly and sophisticated, Samir is a bit more casual and playful. He currently ranks at #757 on the US top 1000.

Samson- The Hebrew name Samson is experiencing quite a rise up the charts. In three years, he moved over 200 spaces. Parents are beginning to see him as an alternative to Samuel, due much to the fact that he can be called Sam.

Samuel- Samuel is a classic in every sense of the word. He's never been outside of the top 90, and nowadays hangs around the mid twenties. Samuel is a wonderful name, and one that many parents choose to get the nickname Sam.


Girl

Samantha- Samantha was a hit in the '90s, reaching as high as #3 in 1998. At #33, she's still quite common, but is growing more and more dim. Nevertheless, with so many pop culture namesakes, I'm sure she'll be around for a while.

Samar- Like I previously mentioned, Samar is not just a name for boys. Girls can wear it too! She's just one letter off from Tamar, so I don't foresee it being an issue at all. Your Samar can go by Sam or Sammy, or the more feminine Mara.

Samara- If you like Samar, but aren't a fan of gender confusion, I suggest Samara. She's much more common (she ranks at #631), but like many of the Sam names for girls, is fading in her popularity.

Samaya- Samaya is a variation of the Hebrew Sameh, and is better suited for American use. With Maya being so popular these days, I can definitely see Samaya gaining favor.

Sesame- If you want a truly offbeat quirky name, Sesame should be right up your alley (or should I say street?) Sure, you might get some Elmo comments, but the nickname Sam can neutralize the association.

Best Unisex Names for Boys

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This list surprised me in many ways. The first is by some of the names. I never would have guessed that names like Dominique, Kimball, and Wynn are all more popular for boys (to be fair, they're all pretty close in terms of boy/girl usage). Second, this list is quite a bit longer than Monday's. I would have thought that there are more unisex names that are considered "for girls" rather than the other way around. Granted, I couldn't have thought of every unisex name, so there still could be more "girlish" ones, I suppose. Let me know what you think--are all of these better suited for the boys?

Abbott
Adrian
Aiden
Alex
Anchor
Angel
Ari
Ash
Ashton
Birch
Bo
Brady
Brighton
Cameron
Carlton
Casey
Cedar
Charlie
Chris
Christian
Cove
Dallas
Daryl
Devin
Dominique
Doran
Drew
Dylan
Elliot
Ellis
Evan
Gardner
Garland
Glenn
Gray
Finn
Flynn
Hart
Hayden
Jazz
Jordan
Jory
Joss
Justus
Keegan
Kimball
Kyle
Lake
Lane
Lincoln
Logan
Linden
Maguire
Mercer
Micah
Nico
Noel
North
Oak
Oakley
Parker
Paxton
Phoenix
Quincy
Ray
Reece
Reid
Ren
Rio
River
Rory
Rowan
Ryan
Sacha
Sam
Samar
Sawyer
Sean
Storm
Tate
Terry
Toby
Tony
True
Tyler
Wynn

Best Unisex Names for Girls

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Don't let the title fool you--this post is not about the definitive "best" unisex names for girls. Rather, I've listed unisex names that are used more often for girls than they are for boys. All of them work for either gender, in fact, many of these names have extremely similar usage among both genders. Check back on Friday for the boys list!

Addison
Ariel
Ashby
Ashley
Aspen
Avery
Bailey
Blue
Campbell
Dakota
Dana
Day
December
Eden
Ellison
Emerson
Emery
Fallon
Finley
Harbor
Harley
Harper
Indiana
Izzy
Jess
Jules
Justice
Kendall
Kennedy
Kimber
Larkin
London
Mackenzie
Marlowe
Meridian
Merritt
Monroe
Morgan
Palmer
Paris
Peyton
Presley
Quinn
Rain
Reagan
Reese
Riley
Romy
Sage
Sailor
Sasha
Scout
Sheridan
Sky
Skylar
Sloane
Sparrow
Sutton
Taylor
Teagan
Tierney
Valentine
Yuki

Day Names

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Baby name inspiration can come from anywhere. Even the time of day your child was born. If you have (or plan to have) a daytime baby, consider some of the following names.

Asa--Asa means "born in the morning," so there's no better name for a daytime son. On top of that, Asa is very stylish right now, and has both Hebrew and Japanese roots. Perfect for families of mixed cultures.

Birdie--The early bird catches the worm--in this case, early Birdie. She's not popular at all, ranking at #3604, but I could see her becoming more mainstream in the near future.

Danica--Danica means "morning star," which is ideal for a baby born in the wee hours before dawn.

Dawn--Then again, you could always go with Dawn herself. She will soon be heading into grandma territory, so if datedness bothers you, I would use her as a middle.

Day--Day is another one that works better in the middle. Short, unisex word names are extremely popular for middle names right now, and Day fits all the criterion.

Dia--Dia is the Spanish word for Day, and works a little bit better as a name. With the popularity of Mia, Gia, and Lia, Dia would not be shocking as a first name.

Early--What better name for an early morning baby than Early? She's cute, upbeat, and a perfect way to honor an Earl.

Noon--Similarly to Day, Noon works best as a middle name. That's not to say you can't use it as a first--I would love to meet a baby named Noon (bonus points if he or she was actually born at 12).

Sunny--Sunny is an adorable, celebrity-endorsed name that would be lovely on a daytime baby.

I'm off next week for Spring Break, so I will see you all back here on the 13th. Happy Springtime holidays!

25 Days of Christmas: Garland

Today's Christmas baby name is Garland. Garland is a word name that has never been in the U.S. top 1000. Most people would associate this name with actress Judy Garland, but it works well for a holiday name for either a girl or boy. The Christmas tree garland gives it a holiday vibe, perfect for a December baby.

Garland is a truly unexpected choice for any time of the year. However, his ties with Christmas make him all the more relevant. Check back tomorrow for our next Christmas baby name!

25 Days of Christmas: North

Today's Christmas Baby Name is truly unisex- I'm talking about North. North is a word name that means "the direction North." While I prefer it for a girl, North is more on trend with the boys. It has a tough girl/boy vibe, and goes along well with names like Arrow or Fawn.

North is very up-and-coming. It is a pretty new name, inspired by its trendy brothers Weston and Easton. There are no famous Norths yet, but we'll probably see a celebrity use this one in the next few years.

North is an unusual appellation that conjures up pictures of snow and ice, perfect for a winter or holiday baby. North makes my own list (for girls, not boys) and I would love to see somebody use it. It's a great name that is suitable for either gender.

Unisex Names: The Ones I Prefer for Boys

Unisex names I prefer for boys: Tyler, Charlie, Brady, Alex, Finley, Jaden, Mason, Nico, Micah, Phoenix, Rowan, Sam, Toby, Tony.