Samantha

[Anonymous]

What do people think about the name Samantha? Does it feel dated?

I did not know a lot of babies in the 90s/00s so it doesn't feel that way to me, but I am trying to check my instincts on this one.

[Anonymous]

I don't associate it with a certain period; certainly not the 90s/00s. Did I miss a trend? My main references are Bewitched and SATC, so a pretty good breadth of time. More like a Valerie or Claudia - always around, never top 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't associate it with a certain period; certainly not the 90s/00s. Did I miss a trend? My main references are Bewitched and SATC, so a pretty good breadth of time. More like a Valerie or Claudia - always around, never top 10.

Yes, #3 in 98.

OP, how about Samara?

[Anonymous]

Love it. I am an early 90s baby and know a few, but not as many as Brittany, Jessica, Jennifer, etc.

[Anonymous]

I like it. I associate it mostly with Bewitched, which is a mild but positive association. It doesn’t seem old-fashioned, but seems like it might be a good time for it. I think it’s one of those general, stable names that don’t really come in and out of fashion.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely love it, and I'm one of the posters who hates everyone's baby names. But this one is great!

[Anonymous]

I like it, but make sure you’re okay with people calling her Sam. It’s inevitable.

I knew a couple Samantha’s growing up (born in the 80s) and 2 friends used the name for their daughters in the last 8 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't associate it with a certain period; certainly not the 90s/00s. Did I miss a trend? My main references are Bewitched and SATC, so a pretty good breadth of time. More like a Valerie or Claudia - always around, never top 10.

it was a top 10 name from 1988 to 2006. 474 in 1964 and then started rapidly getting more popular. Now ranked #105, has been slowly falling since the late 2000s. So yes, it's definitely had its peaks but I think it's kind of like Rachel or Emily or Sarah - goes through times of being more popular and less popular but overall a stable name that girls of all generations will have.

I really like it. Although I hate the nicknames Sam and Sami.

[Anonymous]

I have always liked the name as well as the nickname Sam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't associate it with a certain period; certainly not the 90s/00s. Did I miss a trend? My main references are Bewitched and SATC, so a pretty good breadth of time. More like a Valerie or Claudia - always around, never top 10.

Ha! I'm Claudia with cousins named Valerie and Samantha (also Vanessa, Monica and Silvia). We were all born between 1964 and 1969. I like my name, but I always secretly wanted to be named Sam.

[Anonymous]

I’ve always liked it. It’s the type of name everyone can recognize but you’re still the only kid in your grade with the name. I put it into the “cool babysitter” category of names like Vanessa, Veronica, Sasha, Daphne, Whitney, Courtney, and Bianca, Sabrina. Uncommon but not unknown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't associate it with a certain period; certainly not the 90s/00s. Did I miss a trend? My main references are Bewitched and SATC, so a pretty good breadth of time. More like a Valerie or Claudia - always around, never top 10.

Yes, #3 in 98.

OP, how about Samara?

Samara was the name of the girl in The Ring; have never been able to get over that association.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do people think about the name Samantha? Does it feel dated?

I did not know a lot of babies in the 90s/00s so it doesn't feel that way to me, but I am trying to check my instincts on this one.

I teach 6th grade. This year, I have three Samanthas (FWIW, two white and one Latina. Last year, I had one (again, FWIW, Asian. The year before, I had two (one biracial AA/White and one White) so roughly 11-13 years ago, it was a decently popular name. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it used now. It’s not like Barbara, Nadine, or Denise —all of whom I have this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't associate it with a certain period; certainly not the 90s/00s. Did I miss a trend? My main references are Bewitched and SATC, so a pretty good breadth of time. More like a Valerie or Claudia - always around, never top 10.

it was a top 10 name from 1988 to 2006. 474 in 1964 and then started rapidly getting more popular. Now ranked #105, has been slowly falling since the late 2000s. So yes, it's definitely had its peaks but I think it's kind of like Rachel or Emily or Sarah - goes through times of being more popular and less popular but overall a stable name that girls of all generations will have.

I really like it. Although I hate the nicknames Sam and Sami.

OP here. I just double checked SSA because I hadn’t caught that it was so popular as early as the 80s. I’m an 80s baby myself, guess I just happened not to know anyone.

I love the comparison to Rachel, Emily, Sarah as they are all aunts to my kids.

[Anonymous]

Samantha was the top stripper name for a good while.