I hope to god that I don’t look like my name because to me it sounds like a girl who beats you up in the alley. I’m the biggest pacific I know and I don’t think that's the look I should go for.  I always thought Samantha is a formal and clunky name. In my 22 years, I don’t think I've ever  said it gracefully. I think it’s the “mantha” part. The “Sam” part is great, I don't have any complaints about it.

Samantha means ‘flower’ in Greek and ‘listens well’ in Aramaic, both very gracefully attributes (“Samantha”). If you think about it, it almost means wallflower. I have always been shy and liked to fade into the background. So in that way, I guess it fits me.

 The name Samantha was first recorded in 17th century England. It rose in popularity in the 1960s around the same time as the popular sitcom, “Bewitched”(““Samantha.” Samantha - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity, ”). It was my mother’s favorite television show when she was seven years old because of the magic. While she was pregnant with me, she was reminded of the name after seeing it in a newspaper.  My mom actively tried to avoid giving me a popular name. She managed educational programs for Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. Many of the children who were registered children programs like Discovery Camp had trendy names. It might not have been the best resource because according to the Social Security Names database, it was the seventh most popular that year. I guess she should have looked harder. 

 Multiple people have asked me if I was named after Sam from the television show, iCarly. The show aired six years after I was born. As far as I know my parents aren’t psychics.  

Samantha is a very versatile name with many nicknames like Sam and Sammy. This is great because the name is super common, I was one of three girls in my class with the name Samantha. I was lucky to have a last name that started with BA. During attendance roll call,I would quickly snag the nickname Sam so I wasn’t stuck with Samantha or Sammy. I definitely like the name Sam over Samantha. It’s shorter and more casual. When I was learning to spell, I was very annoyed that my name was eight letters long. It was too much to remember. Sam wasn’t always my name of choice. In preschool, I went by Sammy. As I got older, it felt too immature. I have stuck with Sam ever since.  

After thinking over my history with my name, I feel closer with the name given to me. I don’t think I would ever change my name. It’s a part of my identity. My great grandma and many other relatives of mine were Polish immigrants. When they came to America, most of them changed their name to reinvent themselves and assimilate into American society.  It's crazy how much a name can affect your life. I was almost named Charlotte, I wonder if anything would have changed if I was. That being said, I’m happy being Sam.  

Works Cited 

 “Samantha.” FamilyEducation, www.familyeducation.com/baby-names/name-meaning/samantha. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024. 

Popular Baby Names, www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024. 

“Samantha.” Samantha - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity. www.thebump.com/b/samantha-baby-name. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.