Samuel

Commonly interpreted as a Hebrew name connected to ideas like 'heard' or 'asked of' (nuance varies by source).

Samuel is a masculine given name with Hebrew roots and a long, well-documented history of use. In the Hebrew Bible, Samuel is a major prophetic figure, which is one reason the name remains familiar across Jewish and Christian communities and in many languages today. From an etymology standpoint, Samuel is commonly explained using Hebrew elements interpreted with ideas like 'heard' or 'asked/requested,' and many sources paraphrase it in a theophoric way (for example, 'God has heard'). The exact linguistic parsing can differ depending on the reference. Pronunciation in English is often SAM-yoo-uhl (three syllables), though some speakers compress it in fast speech. The nickname Sam is extremely common, and Sammy is widely used informally.

Etymology: Often linked to Hebrew elements interpreted along the lines of 'God has heard' or 'asked/requested'; scholarly explanations vary.