Shmuel

Did you know?

A few things about Shmuel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Shmuel

Shmuel Yosef Agnon

Ukrainian-born Israeli Hebrew writer, Nobel laureate in Literature (1888–1970)

Choose Shmuel and your child shares a first name with Shmuel Yosef Agnon, an Ukrainian-born Israeli Hebrew writer, Nobel laureate in Literature. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Shmuel, like who?” Shmuel Yosef Agnon's Wikipedia article is available in 96 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Shmuel Yosef Agnon on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Israeli GPO photographer, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 6,671 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Shmuel, 256 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Shmuel would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryShmuel first shows up in US birth records in 1953, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 72 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 2022, when it reached #913.
• 📈Then vs nowShmuel is 3.5× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 23,364 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 6,671.
• 🚀TrendShmuel has climbed 109 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #920. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedShmuel is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #79, followed by New York (#217) and Maryland (#475). It's in the top 1,000 in 3 states.
• 💬MeaningShmuel is a Hebrew form of Samuel, which means “God has heard”.

About the name Shmuel

Shmuel is a boy name meaning “God has heard”. It has 6 letters and 1 syllable, starting with S and ending in “-uel”. US birth records list Shmuel for boys from 1953 to 2025, in 70 of those 73 years. Its best year was 2022, when it ranked #913 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #920, with 256 babies.