boy's name
Samaël
sah-mah-EL (French)
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 1,828
France
#441
2025 births
Samaël is a boy's name of Hebrew origin, commonly interpreted as "venom of God." It's the French spelling of Samael, an angel of Jewish lore linked with death and accusation, and French-speaking parents now use it as a modern alternative to Samuel.
- Samaël is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in France in 2022, when 145 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 5,614 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1997.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 3.
Samaël Over Time
Births per decade in France, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 10 |
| 2000s | 90 |
| 2010s | 240 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 705 |
What Samaël Means
Samaël is usually read as venom of God or poison of God, from Hebrew sam, poison, and el, God. The grim sense fits the angel, though most parents treat the name as a stylish cousin of Samuel.
Where Samaël Comes From
Samael, Sammael in Hebrew, appears in Jewish writing from late antiquity, where he serves as a heavenly accuser, a seducer and an angel of death. Rabbinic texts make him a great prince of heaven, and Gnostic texts recast the name as a title for the blind creator god. Medieval Jewish mysticism paired him with Lilith. It has no place in the Hebrew Bible itself. French use is very recent and shows little sign of these associations. The ë marks a separate syllable, as in Raphaël and Michaël, which helps it look like an established French biblical name.
Samaël in Use
The name carries a dark history that many parents may not know. French parents may like the sound and the link with Samuel and Raphaël.
How Popular Is Samaël?
In 2025, Samaël was given to 105 babies in France, ranking #441 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in France.
Where Samaël Is Used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Samaël Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Samael | Samael is a spelling of Samaël, used in the United States, where it ranks #3,325. | 998 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Samaël
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Samaël Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Samaël over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Samaël
- French sah-mah-EL
Samaël in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Samaël
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Samaël — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Samaël
What does the name Samaël mean?
It's commonly interpreted as venom of God, from Hebrew.
Who is Samael?
An angel of Jewish lore connected with accusation and death.
Is Samaël the same as Samuel?
No. They look alike, but Samuel has a different Hebrew root.
Is Samaël a girl's or a boy's name?
Samaël is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Samaël?
Samaël has 3 syllables.
When was Samaël most popular?
Samaël peaked in 2022, when 145 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Samaël a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Samaël currently ranks #441 in France. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.