| Samuel | Aaron | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God has heard | Exalted; of uncertain origin |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | SAM-yoo-el | AIR-un |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2001 (14,813) | 1989 (15,308) |
| In 2025 | 8,334 | 4,041 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Samuel | Aaron |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 50,328 | 27,346 |
| 2010s | 108,128 | 70,488 |
| 2000s | 138,647 | 86,992 |
| 1990s | 125,597 | 128,377 |
| 1980s | 73,456 | 138,357 |
| 1970s | 48,099 | 101,487 |
| 1960s | 44,247 | 26,070 |
| 1950s | 53,767 | 11,141 |
| 1940s | 43,129 | 5,940 |
| 1930s | 32,135 | 4,727 |
| 1920s | 43,362 | 6,177 |
| 1910s | 34,166 | 4,570 |
| 1900s | 8,149 | 1,050 |
| 1890s | 7,857 | 830 |
| 1880s | 9,129 | 910 |
Samuel is a Hebrew name read as “God has heard” or “name of God.” The prophet Samuel anointed the first kings of Israel.
Aaron is a Hebrew name of debated meaning, often given as “exalted, high” or “mountain of strength.” In the Bible he is the elder brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel.
Samuel is more popular than Aaron today: about 8,334 US babies were given the name Samuel in 2025, compared with 4,041 named Aaron.
Samuel means God has heard (Hebrew origin), while Aaron means Exalted; of uncertain origin (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Samuel first appears in 1880 and Aaron in 1880, so Samuel has the longer recorded history.