Boy Old & New Testament Known
Samson
his sun; his service; there the second time
שִׁמְשׁוֹן Σαμψών shim.shon
Samson (Hebrew: שִׁמְשׁוֹן, shim.shon) means “his sun; his service; there the second time”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 38 verses across 2 books of the Bible. In 2025 it was given to 639 children in the United States, ranking 477. Use is rising. Around 12,879 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Barak in Hebrews 11.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Samson
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 38 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Both
- Era
- Judges
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 639 | Rising |
| All-time total | 12,879 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 639 in 2025 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | TX | Highest share relative to births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Judges 13:24 |
| Last appears | Hebrews 11:32 |
| Cross-references | 443 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Delilah co-occurrence Appears with Delilah in Judges 16.
- Barak co-occurrence Appears with Barak in Hebrews 11.
- Jephthah co-occurrence Appears with Jephthah in Hebrews 11.
- Enoch co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Enoch.
- Gideon co-occurrence Appears with Gideon in Hebrews 11.
- Manoah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Manoah.
- Samuel co-occurrence Appears with Samuel in Hebrews 11.
- Rahab co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Rahab.
The same name elsewhere
| Country | Form | Standing | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Samson | rank 477 · 639 in 2025 | Births in year |
| Spain | SANSON | 38 bearers · mean age 16.9 | Living residents |
| Portugal | Sansão | permitted | IRN approved list |
Two different questions are shown here. Rows marked births in year count children registered during a period; rows marked living residents count people of every age alive at a census. They answer different questions and are never added together.
Origin & meaning
A Judge living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jdg.13.24;
son of: Manoah (H4495); married to Delilah (H1807)
Also named: Sampsōn (Σαμψών "Samson" G4546)
§ Samson = "like the sun"
a Danite, son of Manoah, a Nazarite for life, and a judge of Israel for 20 years
Samson was an Israelite judge known for his God-given strength, which he used to fight against the Philistines.
The biblical story
Samson was an Israelite judge during the period when the Philistines oppressed Israel. His birth was announced by an angel to his parents, Manoah and his wife, who had been barren (Jdg.13.2-5). The angel instructed them to raise Samson as a Nazirite, dedicated to God from birth (Jdg.13.5, 7). As Samson grew, the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him (Jdg.13.24-25). Samson's life was characterized by his immense strength, which he used to fight against the Philistines. He killed a lion with his bare hands (Jdg.14.5-6), struck down thirty men of Ashkelon (Jdg.14.19), and killed a thousand Philistines with a donkey's jawbone (Jdg.15.14-16). However, Samson's weakness was his attraction to foreign women. He fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah, who eventually betrayed him by discovering the secret of his strength (Jdg.16.4-20). The Philistines captured Samson, blinded him, and forced him to grind grain in prison (Jdg.16.21). During a Philistine festival, Samson was brought out to entertain them. He prayed to God for strength one last time and pushed against the pillars of the temple, causing it to collapse and kill himself along with many Philistines (Jdg.16.22-30). Despite his flaws, Samson is remembered as a man of faith who delivered Israel from Philistine oppression (Heb.11.32).
Key verses
Samson appears in 38 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.
Judges 13:24 -
And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
Judges 14:1 -
Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
Judges 14:3 -
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
Judges 14:5 -
And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
Judges 14:7
Show all 38 references
Judges (37)
- Judges 13:24
- Judges 14:1
- Judges 14:3
- Judges 14:5
- Judges 14:7
- Judges 14:10
- Judges 14:12
- Judges 14:15
- Judges 14:16
- Judges 14:20
- Judges 15:1
- Judges 15:3
- Judges 15:4
- Judges 15:6
- Judges 15:7
- Judges 15:10
- Judges 15:11
- Judges 15:12
- Judges 15:16
- Judges 16:1
- Judges 16:2
- Judges 16:3
- Judges 16:6
- Judges 16:7
- Judges 16:9
- Judges 16:10
- Judges 16:12
- Judges 16:13
- Judges 16:14
- Judges 16:20
- Judges 16:23
- Judges 16:25
- Judges 16:26
- Judges 16:27
- Judges 16:28
- Judges 16:29
- Judges 16:30
Hebrews (1)
- Hebrews 11:32