| Ethan | Samuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Strong, enduring | God has heard |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | EE-thun | SAM-yoo-el |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1882 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2004 (22,210) | 2001 (14,813) |
| In 2025 | 7,852 | 8,334 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ethan | Samuel |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 50,594 | 50,328 |
| 2010s | 149,111 | 108,128 |
| 2000s | 201,835 | 138,647 |
| 1990s | 66,930 | 125,597 |
| 1980s | 10,490 | 73,456 |
| 1970s | 5,301 | 48,099 |
| 1960s | 1,601 | 44,247 |
| 1950s | 553 | 53,767 |
| 1940s | 254 | 43,129 |
| 1930s | 225 | 32,135 |
| 1920s | 233 | 43,362 |
| 1910s | 184 | 34,166 |
| 1900s | 17 | 8,149 |
| 1890s | 31 | 7,857 |
| 1880s | 30 | 9,129 |
Ethan comes from the Hebrew for “firm, enduring, strong.” In the Bible, Ethan the Ezrahite was noted for his wisdom.
Samuel is a Hebrew name read as “God has heard” or “name of God.” The prophet Samuel anointed the first kings of Israel.
Samuel is more popular than Ethan today: about 8,334 US babies were given the name Samuel in 2025, compared with 7,852 named Ethan.
Ethan means Strong, enduring (Hebrew origin), while Samuel means God has heard (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Ethan first appears in 1882 and Samuel in 1880, so Samuel has the longer recorded history.