Samoan Boy Names
Samoan male names come from the Samoan language, with strong Christian-era influence that introduced localized forms of biblical names. Because Samoan phonotactics favor open syllables, many male names end in vowels and adapt foreign consonant clusters by adding final vowels. There is no grammatical gender in the language, but names of male biblical figures are commonly used for boys and rendered in Samoan phonology.
Modern usage favors biblical and English-derived male names alongside some indigenous terms and place-based names, with spellings often simplified in English contexts. Examples include Aleki, Amosa, Feleti, Iakopo, Laki, Lemi, Lote, Saimone, Tanielu, and Savea.
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleki | Defender of men | Samoan, Tongan | Boy | 71 #1 | |
| Savea | A Samoan family name and matai (chief) title, associated with leadership or warrior status | Polynesian, Samoan | Boy | 31 #2 | |
| Tanielu | God is my judge | Polynesian, Samoan | Boy | 29 #3 | |
| Lemi | {'Yoruba': 'Often part of names meaning related to honor/blessings (e.g., in longer names such as Oluwalemi)', 'Samoan': 'Meaning varies by family/tradition; used as a personal name', 'Other/uncertain': 'Varies by language and region; no single universal meaning'} | Samoan, Yoruba | Boy | 16 #4 | |
| Afa | Hurricane | Polynesian, Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Amosa | Likely a variant of Amos - "borne by God" / "carried by God". | Hebrew, Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Asau | {'Samoan': "A place name (harbour/village) on Savai'i; used as a place-based personal name.", 'Hausa': "Rendered Asa'u in Hausa; associated with Arabic As'ad in form and sometimes meaning ('more fortunate'/'happier') depending on usage."} | Hausa, Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Feleti | Likely derived from Latin 'felix' meaning 'happy' or 'fortunate.' | Samoan, Tongan | Boy | — | |
| Iakopo | Supplanter; 'holder of the heel' | Samoan, Tongan | Boy | — | |
| Laki | In Samoan often interpreted as 'lucky'; in Indonesian/Malay it means 'male' or 'man'; also used as a short form/nickname in some Slavic/Greek contexts. | Indonesian, Malay, Samoan, Slavic | Boy | — | |
| Lopini | A Polynesian given name used in Tongan and Samoan communities; likely an adaptation of a European name, exact original meaning uncertain. | Samoan, Tongan | Boy | — | |
| Lote | Polynesian: traditional given name with no single agreed English translation; European: diminutive of Charlotte (from Charles, meaning "free man"). | Dutch, German, Samoan, Tongan | Boy | — | |
| Manti | Uncertain - known as a place-name in the Book of Mormon; no widely agreed literal meaning | Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Saimone | He has heard; listener (from Hebrew 'Shim'on') | Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Saʻilele | Forbidden grounds | Samoan | Boy | — |
Samoan Boys name popularity over time
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Samoan-origin name in our dataset.