Shmuel
Boy name · #921 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Shmuel? In official American birth records, Shmuel has been tracked continuously since 1953, giving it 72 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 256 baby boys were named Shmuel, placing it at #921 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1016, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,031 boys born in 2025 was named Shmuel.
Babies named Shmuel per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 72-year story
Shmuel first appears in the Social Security records in 1953, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 256 babies and a rank of #920. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shmuel against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shmuel in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Shmuel is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Shmuel will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Shmuel is most common
Geography matters for names, and Shmuel is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Shmuel is most common in NJ (2.9 per 1,000), NY (1.1 per 1,000), MD (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Shmuel is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Shmuel
Statistically, parents drawn to Shmuel tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Yisroel, Mikael, Immanuel, Shmiel, and Yadiel.
YisroelMikaelImmanuelShmielYadielAnselOzielIsael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shmuel | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 256 | #920 |
| 2024 | 234 | #967 |
| 2023 | 246 | #927 |
| 2022 | 253 | #913 |
| 2021 | 205 | #1046 |
| 2020 | 200 | #1029 |
| 2019 | 203 | #1023 |
| 2018 | 198 | #1029 |
| 2017 | 222 | #940 |
| 2016 | 204 | #999 |
| 2015 | 200 | #1016 |
| 2014 | 165 | #1147 |
| 2013 | 187 | #1031 |
| 2012 | 147 | #1212 |
| 2011 | 142 | #1229 |
| 2010 | 182 | #1056 |
| 2009 | 135 | #1298 |
| 2008 | 141 | #1233 |
| 2007 | 142 | #1237 |
| 2006 | 128 | #1294 |
| 2005 | 108 | #1381 |
| 2004 | 108 | #1349 |
| 2003 | 90 | #1451 |
| 2002 | 93 | #1406 |
| 2001 | 96 | #1345 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Shmuel?
In official American birth records, the name Shmuel first appeared in 1953 (over 72 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 72 years.
Is Shmuel a popular boy name?
Shmuel ranked #921 among boys in 2025 with 256 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1016.
When was the name Shmuel most popular?
Shmuel peaked in 2025, when 256 American boys received the name (ranked #920 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Shmuel?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,031 newborn American boys was named Shmuel. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.