| Sami | Bilal | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | elevated, sublime | moisture, freshness |
| Origin | arabic | arabic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | SAA-mee | bi-LAAL |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1955 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2025 (193) | 2018 (195) |
| In 2025 | 193 | 0 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Sami | Bilal |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 893 | 981 |
| 2010s | 1,475 | 1,580 |
| 2000s | 1,307 | 1,419 |
| 1990s | 880 | 1,071 |
| 1980s | 446 | 553 |
| 1970s | 193 | 236 |
| 1960s | 88 | 18 |
| 1950s | 21 | 0 |
From the root s-m-w (س-م-و, 'to be high, elevated'), meaning 'elevated, lofty, sublime, eminent'. Note the distinct name Sami' (سميع, 'all-hearing'), which comes from a different root (s-m-'); the two are easily confused in transliteration.
From the root b-l-l (ب-ل-ل, 'to moisten, to wet'), understood as 'moisture, wetting, freshness'. Famously borne by Bilal ibn Rabah, the Abyssinian companion of the Prophet and Islam's first muezzin.
Sami is more popular than Bilal today: about 193 US babies were given the name Sami in 2025, compared with 0 named Bilal.
Sami means elevated, sublime (arabic origin), while Bilal means moisture, freshness (arabic origin).
In US records, Sami first appears in 1955 and Bilal in 0, so Bilal has the longer recorded history.