Samantha
Encyclopedia
Samantha is a feminine given name
. It was first recorded in the 18th century in New England
, but its origin is unknown.
Speculation (without evidence) has suggested an origin from the masculine given name Samuel and anthos, the Greek
word for "flower". A variant of this speculation is that it may have been a feminine form of Samuel with the addition of the already existing feminine name Anthea.
It remained a rare name until the publication, beginning in 1873, of a series of ten books by Marietta Holley
featuring the adventures of a lady called Samantha, wife of Josiah Allen. This led to the rise in its popularity and its increasing ranking among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States from 1880, the earliest year for which records are available, to 1902.
It was out of fashion in the United States for majority of the first half of the 20th century, but reappeared among the top 1,000 names for girls in 1958, when it ranked in 998th position, and in 1959, when it ranked in 993rd place. It fell off the top 1,000 list once again until 1964, when it reappeared in 472nd place, and leapt another 293 places to 179th place in the ratings in 1965. The name's popularity coincided with the debut in 1964 of the television show Bewitched
, which featured as the lead character a young witch named Samantha Stephens. The name has remained consistently popular in the United States since the 1960s. It ranked among the top 200 names for girls since 1965 and among the top 100 names for girls since 1976. It was among the 10 most popular names for girls born in the United States between 1988 and 2006. It ranked as the 15th most popular name for American girls born in 2009.
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
. It was first recorded in the 18th century in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, but its origin is unknown.
Speculation (without evidence) has suggested an origin from the masculine given name Samuel and anthos, the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word for "flower". A variant of this speculation is that it may have been a feminine form of Samuel with the addition of the already existing feminine name Anthea.
It remained a rare name until the publication, beginning in 1873, of a series of ten books by Marietta Holley
Marietta Holley
Marietta Holley , was an American humorist who used satire to comment on U.S. society and politics. Holley was frequently compared to Mark Twain and Edgar Nye....
featuring the adventures of a lady called Samantha, wife of Josiah Allen. This led to the rise in its popularity and its increasing ranking among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States from 1880, the earliest year for which records are available, to 1902.
It was out of fashion in the United States for majority of the first half of the 20th century, but reappeared among the top 1,000 names for girls in 1958, when it ranked in 998th position, and in 1959, when it ranked in 993rd place. It fell off the top 1,000 list once again until 1964, when it reappeared in 472nd place, and leapt another 293 places to 179th place in the ratings in 1965. The name's popularity coincided with the debut in 1964 of the television show Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
, which featured as the lead character a young witch named Samantha Stephens. The name has remained consistently popular in the United States since the 1960s. It ranked among the top 200 names for girls since 1965 and among the top 100 names for girls since 1976. It was among the 10 most popular names for girls born in the United States between 1988 and 2006. It ranked as the 15th most popular name for American girls born in 2009.
Variants
Samantha has 24 variants that are used in both English and other languages. Variants of Samantha used in English include Samanthi, Samanthia, Samatha, Samella, and Symantha. Other English forms include the short form Sam, the pet forms Sami, Sammi, Sammie, and Sammy, and the variant spellings Samanta (used in French, and German), Samanthe, and Sammantha.Notable People
- Samantha AlbertSamantha AlbertSamantha Majendie-Albert is a Canadian-born equestrian who represents Jamaica in international competition...
, Canadian-born equestrian who represents Jamaica in international competition - Samantha ArmytageSamantha ArmytageSamantha Armytage is an Australian journalist and television news presenter.Armytage is currently presenter of Seven 4.30 News , and co-host of Weekend Sunrise and she is also a regular fill-in presenter for various Seven Network programs.-Early life:Armytage grew up on a historic property, called...
, Australian journalist and television news reporter - Samantha ArsenaultSamantha ArsenaultSamantha Arsenault is an American swimmer and Olympic champion from Peabody, Massachusetts. She competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, where she received a gold medal in 4 × 200 m freestyle relay...
, American swimmer and Olympic champion - Samantha BarksSamantha BarksSamantha Barks is a professional singer and actress who came third in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.-Background:Samantha was born and brought up on the Isle of Man...
, singer and actress from the Isle of Man - Samantha BarningSamantha BarningSamantha Barning is a Dutch professional badminton player. She can play either in singles or in doubles.-Tournament wins:*2007 - Dutch National Junior Championships: Women's doubles...
, Dutch professional badminton player - Samantha BéartSamantha BéartSamantha Béart is a British actress.Her first major role was as Random Dent, in the radio version of Mostly Harmless the fifth series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, as well as short film, feature, theatre and radio parts....
, British actress - Samantha BeckinsaleSamantha BeckinsaleSamantha Jane Beckinsale is an English actress best known for her role as firefighter, Kate Stevens, in London's Burning and her role as Lesley in the sitcom Shelley from 1989–1992...
, English actress - Samantha BeeSamantha BeeSamantha Bee is a Canadian comedic actress and author best known as a cast member on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.-Early life:Bee was born in Toronto, Ontario into an unconventional family...
, Canadian actress and comedian - Samantha Bond, English actress
- Sam Brown (singer), English singer
- Samantha BrownSamantha BrownSamantha Elizabeth Brown is an American television host, notable for her work as the host of several Travel Channel shows including Girl Meets Hawaii, Great Vacation Homes, Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Great Weekends, Passport to China, and Samantha Brown's Asia. Ms...
, American television host - Samantha Browne-WaltersSamantha Browne-WaltersSamantha Browne-Walters is an American teen actress. She played the role of Samantha Malloy on the ABC comedy series Life with Bonnie starring Bonnie Hunt. Other roles include Vera in the award winning short film Pâté and appearances on the NBC series Third Watch. She now lives in New...
, American actress - Samantha BuckSamantha Buck-Biography:Buck was born in Dallas, Texas, but raised in Washington, D.C.Buck played Det. G. Lynn Bishop in Law & Order: Criminal Intent, temporarily replacing Det. Alexandra Eames while the latter was on maternity leave. Buck's television roles have not been limited only to drama; she also played...
, American actress - Aunt Samantha BumgarnerSamantha Bumgarner"Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner was an acclaimed early country and folk music performer from Dillsboro, North Carolina. She won much praise for her work with the fiddle and banjo. In 1924, accompanied by guitarist Eva Davis, she traveled to New York City and recorded about a dozen songs, making her...
, acclaimed country and folk music performer of the early 1900s - Samantha CameronSamantha CameronSamantha Gwendoline Cameron , often known simply as "Sam Cam", is a British business executive and wife of David Cameron, the current Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom....
, (née Sheffield, born 1971), English business executive and wife of politician David Cameron - Samantha CaseySamantha CaseySamantha Casey is a beauty queen from Jeffersonton, Virginia, who represented her state and competed in both Miss Teen USA 2006 and Miss USA 2010, becoming one of very few women to place in the top 5 of Miss Teen USA and Miss USA....
, American teen beauty queen - Lan Samantha ChangLan Samantha ChangLan Samantha Chang , born 1965, is an American writer of novels and short stories. She is Professor of English at the University of Iowa and Director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop- Life and career :...
, American writer of novels and short stories - Samantha ColeSamantha ColeSamantha Cole is an American dance-pop singer/songwriter.-Early life & career:Cole grew up in Southampton, New York. At the age of 15, Cole began taking vocal lessons and landed a number of singing engagements in New York. Cole made some 30 appearances on MTV's The Grind, and became a regular...
, American dance-pop singer/songwriter - Samantha CookSamantha CookSamantha Cook was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. She is a Canadian actress and radio personality best known as a cast member of the YTV game show Uh Oh! as Slashin Sam. She was a DJ at Hamilton's Country 95.3FM for 7 years before leaving to teach Radio Broadcasting at Mohawk College...
, Canadian actress and radio personality - Samantha CoolsSamantha CoolsSamantha "Sammy" Cools is a Canadian Bicycle Motocross racer. Born in Calgary, Alberta, she was introduced to the sport by her brothers Greg, coach of the New Zealand BMX team, and Ken...
, Canadian Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer - Samantha CopeSamantha CopeSamantha Christine Cope is an American actress.-Early life:Samantha Cope was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She then moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career as an actress.-Career:...
, American actress - Samantha CornishSamantha CornishSamantha Cornish is a professional surfer from New South Wales, Australia. She began surfing at an early age and entered her first competition at the age of 11. Her father, Peter Cornish, was also a pro surfer. At the age of 15 she won the 1996 World Junior Championships and was named the Young...
, professional surfer from New South Wales, Australia - Samantha DaviesSamantha DaviesSamantha Davies is a British yachtswoman. She has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from St John's College, Cambridge.-Biography:...
, British yachtswoman - Samantha DoddSamantha DoddSamantha Dodd is a British stage and television actress, most noted for performing the body of Jake in The Tweenies . Dodd played Baby Pom in the Fimbles , Jason Baa in season one of The Baaas , and Little Worm in Small Seeds, Big Worms .She played the titular character in Paddington Bear in a...
, British stage and television actress - Samantha Dorman, American model and actress
- Samantha DorranceSamantha DorranceSamantha Dorrance is a British actor, singer and dancer from Willenhall in the West Midlands who reached fame on Disney Channel UK. She can currently be seen touring the UK and Ireland playing the part of Laura in Dreamboats and Petticoats.-Early life:...
, British actor and dancer - Samantha DownieSamantha DownieSamantha Downie is an Australian model, who participated of the fourth cycle of Australia's Next Top Model.-Australia's Next Top Model:...
, Australian model - Samantha DrokeSamantha DrokeSamantha Raye Droke is an American actress. She is famous for her role in the show Poor Paul as Bonnie. Droke also had a supporting role in Princess Protection Program. She films a webshow with her friend and fellow actress, Bailee Madison.-Life and career:Droke was born in De Leon, Texas...
, American actress - Samantha DuboisSamantha DuboisSamantha Dubois was a radio presenter on Radio Caroline during the 1970s and again in 1984. She was born in Holland but learned to speak English from time spent growing up in New Zealand in the 1960s, this gave her a unique and instantly recognisable accent...
, Dutch radio presenter - Samantha EggarSamantha EggarSamantha Eggar is an English film, television and voice actress.-Early life:She was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar in Hampstead, London to an Anglo-Irish father and a mother of Dutch and Portuguese descent...
, English actress - Samantha FerrisSamantha FerrisSamantha Ferris is a Canadian actress and in the mid-1990s was a television reporter for the Bellingham, Washington station KVOS TV-12 and Vancouver's BCTV, where she went by the name Janie Ferris...
, Canadian actress and television reporter - Samantha FoxSamantha FoxSamantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
, or Sam, English former glamour model and dance-pop singer - Samantha GilesSamantha GilesSamantha Giles is a British actress, probably best known for playing Bernice Thomas in Emmerdale , a role which earned her a TV Quick Award for Best Actress and a nomination for a National Television Awards for Most Popular Actress , and Sally Boothe in Where the Heart Is .Giles's other TV...
, British actress - Samantha GillisonSamantha GillisonSamantha Gillison is a writer who frequently contributes to Salon.com and Condé Nast Traveler. Gillison attended Brown University, where she majored in ancient Greek, and has taught at Columbia University. In 2000, she was a recipient of the Whiting Award for her work in The Undiscovered...
, American author - Sammy GlennSammy GlennSamantha "Sammy" Glenn is an English film and television actress. She trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. Her sister, Wendy Glenn, is also an actress....
, English actress - Samantha HammelSamantha HammelSamantha Rose Hammel is an American actress, singer, theatre director, choreographer and record producer. She is from Sudbury, Massachusetts...
, American actress, singer, theatre director, choreographer and record producer - Samantha Harris, American television presenter
- Sam HealySam HealySam Healy is an Australian actress most known for her work portraying Jazmina Hillerman on All Saints, an Australian hospital drama. She has also acted on other Australian series Blue Heelers and McLeod's Daughters...
, Australian actress - Samantha HeathSamantha HeathSamantha Heath is Director of London Sustainability Exchange; a groundbreaking voluntary organization supporting the delivery of London as the most sustainable world city. She is a member and former co-chair of the London Sustainable Development Commission and a member of the London Climate Change...
, British politician - Samantha HollandSamantha HollandSamantha Holland is an English actress. She trained at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama where her year group included Daniel Craig...
, English actress - Samantha HolveySamantha HolveySamantha Carol Holvey is a beauty queen who has competed in the Miss USA pageant.Holvey was born in Houston, Texas, later lived in Morgantown, West Virginia and resided in Buies Creek, North Carolina during her reign...
, American beauty queen - Samantha Howard CorbinSamantha Howard CorbinSamantha Howard Corbin is an American television writer and producer.-Career:Corbin made her television debut writing episodes of The Marshal. She became a writer for the third season of ER. She became a story editor and continued to work as a writer for the fourth season...
, American television writer and producer - Samantha Inoue-HarteSamantha Inoue-HarteSamantha Inoue Harte , nicknamed Sami Harte or Sammy Harte, is a founder of an animation studio called Saiko Studios. She is also a voice actress for ADV Films, FUNimation Entertainment, New Generation Pictures and an animation instructor....
, anime voice actress - Samantha JadeSamantha JadeSamantha Gibbs, commonly known as Samantha Jade, is an Australian R&B/pop singer-songwriter, former child model, and budding actress from Perth, Western Australia. She has written songs for artists such as Ashley Tisdale and JoJo. Jade released two singles under Jive Records but a scheduled album...
, singer-songwriter also known as Samantha Gibbs - Samantha JamesSamantha JamesSamantha James is an American dance musician from Los Angeles. She released her debut album, Rise, in 2007 on Om Records, which features production work by Sebastian Arocha Morton . The title track from the album was released as a single and has reached #1 on the US Billboard Dance charts...
, American dance musician - Samantha Janus, now Samantha Womack, (born 1972), English actress and singer
- Samantha JohnsonSamantha JohnsonSamantha Carrie Johnson is an actress, filmmaker, and beauty queen from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who competed in the Miss USA pageant in 2007....
, American actress, filmmaker, and beauty queen - Samantha Jones (singer)Samantha Jones (singer)-External links:*...
, née Jean Owen, English singer and entertainer - Samantha JudgeSamantha JudgeSamantha Judge is a female field hockey forward from Scotland. She played club hockey for Glasgow Western, and made her debut for the Women's National Team in 1999. A resident of Edinburgh also played badminton for Scotland at U16 level.-References:*...
, field hockey forward from Scotland - Samantha JusteSamantha JusteSamantha Juste , became known on British television in the mid-1960s as the “disc girl” on the BBC’s Top of the Pops. In 1968 she married Micky Dolenz of the Monkees. Their daughter is the actress Ami Dolenz....
, née Sandra Slater, the “disc girl” on the 1960s BBC television show Top of the Pops - Samantha KerrSamantha KerrSamantha May Kerr is an Australian female football player currently playing for Australian W-League team Perth Glory...
, Australian association footballer - Samantha KetipeSamantha KetipeSamantha Ketipe is a Sri Lankan-born Italian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm offbreak bowler who has represented Italy since 2002....
, Sri Lankan-born Italian cricketer - Samantha LamSamantha LamSamantha Lam is a Chinese-Canadian equestrian. She competed for Hong Kong at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-External links:*...
, Chinese-Canadian equestrian - Samantha LaneSamantha LaneSamantha Jane Lane is an Australian television personality, sports reporter and daughter of football journalist and commentator Tim Lane....
, Australian television personality and sports reporter - Samantha LarsonSamantha LarsonSamantha Larson is an American mountain climber from Long Beach, California. On May 16, 2007, at the age of 18, she became temporarily the youngest non-Nepalese woman to summit Mount Everest...
, American mountain climber - Samantha Leigh MartinSamantha Leigh MartinSamantha Leigh Martin is a former child actor from England. She appeared in the BBC soap opera Eastenders between 1988 and 1995, in the role of Vicki Fowler. She was three years old when she was cast and took over the role from Emma Henry, who was unable to continue as her parents moved away from...
, former child actor from England - Samantha Lewes, American actress also known as Susan Jane Dillingham and Samantha Dillingham
- Samantha LewisSamantha LewisSamantha Lewis is a former teenage actress. She is best known for her role as Georgina Hayes in the long-running BBC school drama, Grange Hill, from 1986-1991. She is also a farmer...
, former teenage actress - Samantha MaloneySamantha MaloneySamantha Maloney is an American musician best known for playing in the bands Hole, Mötley Crüe, Eagles of Death Metal and in Peaches' live band "The Herms".-Early career:...
, American musician - Samantha MathisSamantha MathisSamantha Mathis is an American actress. The daughter of actress Bibi Besch, Mathis made her film debut in Pump Up the Volume , opposite Christian Slater...
, American actress - Samantha MortonSamantha MortonSamantha Jane Morton is an English actress and film director. She began her performing career with guest roles in television shows such as Soldier Soldier and Boon before making her film debut in the 1997 drama film This Is the Sea, playing the character of Hazel Stokes...
, English actress - Samantha MumbaSamantha MumbaSamantha Tamania Anne Cecilia Mumba is an Irish singer and actress.Her first album was released in 2000. Her most notable role was Mara in the 2002 film The Time Machine. She has also appeared in a number of Irish independent films.-Early life, education and early career:Mumba was born in Dublin,...
, Irish singer and actress - Samantha PageSamantha PageSamantha Page was a newscaster on Naked News. She was born and raised in England, and graduated in psychology and zoology, while also earning a black belt in Shotokan karate. She joined the cast in February 2003, becoming the first British newscaster, and left the show in August 2005.- External...
,a newscaster on Naked NewsNaked NewsNaked News, billing itself as "the program with nothing to hide", is a subscription website featuring a real television newscast. The show is prepared in Toronto and runs daily, with 25-minute episodes 6 days per week. The female anchors read the news fully nude or strip as they present their news... - Samantha PeszekSamantha PeszekSamantha Nicole Peszek is an American national team gymnast. She was a member of the United States' 2008 Olympic women's gymnastics team.-Career:In 2007, Peszek competed on the gold medal-winning U.S...
, American gymnast - Samantha ReevesSamantha ReevesSamantha Reeves is an American tennis player.Reeves's best results in singles have been reaching the quarter-finals at Hawaii , Bahia and Quebec City .-External links:...
, American tennis player - Samantha Ruth PrabhuSamantha Ruth PrabhuSamantha Ruth Prabhu is an Indian film actress and model who appears in Telugu and Tamil films. Born to Malayali and Telugu parents, Samantha was brought up in Chennai and pursued a career in modeling during her late teens...
, Indian actress - Samantha SangSamantha SangSamantha Sang is a stage name of Australian singer, Cheryl Lau Sang, from Melbourne, who had an earlier career as Cheryl Gray. She had a number eight hit in Australia with "You Made Me What I Am" in 1967. By 1969, she had relocated to United Kingdom and worked with Bee Gees but then returned...
, Australian pop singer - Samantha SmithSamantha SmithSamantha Reed Smith was an American schoolgirl and child actress from Manchester, Maine, who became famous in the Cold War-era United States and Soviet Union...
, child peace activist and actress who died in a plane crash at age 13 - Samantha Smith (tennis)Samantha Smith (tennis)Samantha Smith was the number 1 ranked British ladies tennis player from 1996–1999, and now commentates on the game, predominantly for the BBC, Sky Sports and Eurosport, as well as Channel Seven in Australia during the Australian Open.-Early life:Smith was born in Essex, and educated at Bancroft's...
, British tennis player - Samantha StosurSamantha StosurSamantha "Sam" Jane Stosur is an Australian professional tennis player. She won the 2011 US Open singles title and was a finalist at the 2010 French Open. Stosur is ranked World No. 6 and her career high in singles is World No. 4, achieved on 21 February 2011. She is a former world No...
, Australian tennis player
Fictional people
- Samantha, silentUnseen characterIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
scorer referred to in many episodes of I'm Sorry I Haven't a ClueI'm Sorry I Haven't a ClueI'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, sometimes abbreviated to ISIHAC or Clue, is a BBC radio comedy panel game broadcast since 11 April 1972 at the rate of one or two series each year , transmitted on BBC Radio 4, with occasional repeats on BBC Radio 4 Extra and the BBC's World Service... - Samantha, a character in Need for Speed Underground
- Samantha Albertson, A character from Now and Then (film) (1995)
- Samantha AndersonSamantha AndersonSamantha Anderson is a resident of Oakdale on the American TV soap opera, As the World Turns.- Character history :Samantha Markham is the twin sister of Royce Keller but was given up for adoption. She became interested in, Eliot Markham . When she met Lucinda she realized they were sisters and...
, character on the American TV soap opera As the World Turns - Samantha Best, character on the television show The Best Years
- Samantha Byrd, main character of GoosebumpsGoosebumpsGoosebumps is a series of children's horror fiction novels written by American author R. L. Stine and first published by Scholastic Publishing. It is a collection of stories that feature semi-homogenous plot structures, with fictional children being involved in scary situations...
' book Be Careful of What You Wish For... - Samantha CarterSamantha CarterSamantha "Sam" Carter is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction Stargate franchise, appearing in television series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe. SG-1 and Atlantis are both about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien...
, character in the television show Stargate SG-1 - Samantha Darko, character in the film Donnie DarkoDonnie DarkoDonnie Darko is a 2001 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone, and Mary McDonnell...
- Samantha Jones (Sex and the City), character in the television show Sex and the City
- Samantha Keeble, character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders
- Samantha KellySamantha KellySamantha 'Sam' Kelly is a fictional character that appeared on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. She was played by actress Sydney Penny from 2003 to 2005.-Character biography:...
, or Sam, character on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful - Samantha Manson, a teenage goth girl from the Nickelodeon cartoon Danny Phantom best friends with Danny Phantom.
- Samantha Micelli, character on the television show Who's the Boss?Who's the Boss?Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992...
- Samantha MulderSamantha MulderSamantha Ann Mulder is a fictional character in the television series The X-Files. She is the sister of FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and the daughter of Teena and Bill Mulder. As a child, Samantha was abducted, ostensibly by aliens, and was never recovered...
, sister to Fox Mulder on the television The X-Files. Samantha was abducted by aliens before the show's start. - Samantha Parkington, character in the American GirlAmerican GirlAmerican Girl is a line of dolls, books, and accessories.American Girl may also refer to:* American Girl , a magazine published by the American Girl company* American Girl , a 2002 American film...
collection of books and dolls - Samantha Roth, character in the television show 2424 (TV series)24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
- Samantha Stephens, main character in 1960's sitcom BewitchedBewitchedBewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
played by Elizabeth MontgomeryElizabeth MontgomeryElizabeth Victoria Montgomery was an American film and television actress whose career spanned five decades. She is perhaps best remembered for her roles as Samantha Stephens in Bewitched, as Ellen Harrod in A Case of Rape and as Lizzie Borden in The Legend of Lizzie Borden.-Early life:Born in Los...
, and credited with the surge in popularity of the name during this time.
- Samantha FitzgeraldSamantha FitzgeraldSamantha "Sam" Fitzgerald is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Simone Buchanan. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 March 2008 and departed the show on 25 June 2008. She returned briefly on 24 November 2008. Sam's main storylines have...
, or Sam, recurring character on the Australian soap opera Neighbours - Samantha "Sam" Puckett, an aggressive and abusive teenager in the NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
TV show "iCarlyICarlyiCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...
" played by Jennette McCurdyJennette McCurdyJennette Michelle Faye McCurdy is an American film and television actress and country pop singer-songwriter. She is best known for her role as Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly...
. - Samantha Simpson, or Sam, main character in the television show Totally Spies
- Samantha "Sam", a main character from CBBC show Dani's HouseDani's HouseDani's House is a UK BAFTA-nominated Series produced BBC children's sitcom, starring actress Dani Harmer. The series started broadcast on 26 September 2008, three series have now aired and a fourth is currently being broadcast on CBBC, it started on 16 September 2011. A fifth series was...
- Samantha "Sam", a main character in the novel The Perks of Being a WallflowerThe Perks of Being a WallflowerThe Perks of Being a Wallflower is an epistolary novel written by American novelist Stephen Chbosky. It was published on February 1, 1999 by MTV...
- Sam Jones (Doctor Who)Sam Jones (Doctor Who)Samantha Angeline Jones, or simply Sam, is a fictional character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels based upon the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The Eighth Doctor first met her in the novel The Eight Doctors by Terrance Dicks, and she went on to become one of his...
, or Sam, character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels - Sam McCall, or Samantha Alexis McCall, character on the America soap opera General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
- Sam, character in the film Garden StateGarden StateGarden State is the official nickname of the state of New Jersey in the United States.Other meanings include:* Garden State , a 2004 film written by, directed by, and starring Zach Braff** Garden State , the film's soundtrack...
- Sammy Jo CarringtonSammy Jo CarringtonSammy Jo Carrington is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty...
, character in the American TV series Dynasty
- Sami Brady HernandezSami BradySamantha Gene "Sami" Hernandez is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of our Lives. She was born onscreen on October 16, 1984, though was later SORASed to October 16, 1977. Created by head writer Margaret DePriest, Sami has been portrayed by Alison Sweeney since January 22, 1993...
, or Samantha Gene Brady, character on the American soap opera Days of our LivesDays of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
- Tracy Samantha Lord, the lead character in the play and films Philadelphia Story and High SocietyHigh SocietyHigh Society is a musical film starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra, and made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in VistaVision and Technicolor with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The movie was directed by Charles Walters and produced by Sol C. Siegel from a screenplay by John Patrick, based...
(probably the start of the name's popularity in 1958 in that High Society was made in 1956 starring Grace KellyGrace KellyGrace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
in the role and featuring the song "I Love You, SamanthaI Love You, Samantha"I Love You, Samantha" is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1956 film High Society, where it was introduced by Bing Crosby.In the United Kingdom, an instrumental version of the song recorded by the Pete Moore Orchestra has been used as a theme tune by BBC Radio 2 presenter David Jacobs for many...
").