Samoan given names reflect the phonology of the Samoan language: five vowels, simple open syllables, and almost all names ending in a vowel. Consonant clusters are avoided, so borrowed names gain vowels to fit a CV pattern (for example, biblical names adapted as Ioane for John or Iosefa for Joseph). The glottal stop (’) and long vowels marked with a macron (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū) are part of standard orthography, though they may be omitted in everyday writing. Reduplication and compounding of lexical elements are common, and many names are transparent Samoan words or short phrases.
Traditional themes include references to the sea, sky, winds, places, kin terms, and events around a birth. Christian missionization in the 19th century introduced widespread use of biblical names alongside indigenous forms. Modern usage is mixed: Samoan lexical names, adapted biblical names, and English names all occur, with spellings often simplified in diaspora contexts and official records that do not consistently capture diacritics.
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiana | Christian; loved | Cook Islands Māori, English, Greek, Latin, Malagasy, Māori, Samoan, Tahitian | Girl | 5,151 #1 | |
| Matai | Māori: name of a native New Zealand tree (the black pine); Samoan: 'matai' = chief or family leader/title-holder. | Samoan | Unisex | 157 #2 | |
| Aleki | Defender of men | Samoan, Tongan | Boy | 71 #3 | |
| Masina | In Malagasy, masina means 'sacred' or 'holy'. In some Polynesian contexts (e.g., Samoan) it is also used with the sense 'moon'. Also appears as an Italian family name. | Italian, Polynesian, Samoan | Unisex | 68 #4 | |
| Savea | A Samoan family name and matai (chief) title, associated with leadership or warrior status | Polynesian, Samoan | Boy | 31 #5 | |
| Tanielu | God is my judge | Polynesian, Samoan | Boy | 29 #6 | |
| 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 #7 | |
| Moli | Often a diminutive of Mary - traditionally associated with meanings like 'sea of bitterness' or 'beloved'. Meaning can vary by language and culture. | English, Irish, Polynesian, Samoan | Girl | 5 #8 | |
| Afa | Hurricane | Polynesian, Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Amosa | Likely a variant of Amos - "borne by God" / "carried by God". | Hebrew, Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Apia | Place-name - the capital of Samoa; used as a given name. Exact original meaning in Samoan is not well-documented. | Samoan | Unisex | — | |
| 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 | — | |
| Elisapeta | Pledged to God / "God is my oath" | Samoan | Girl | — | |
| Feleti | Likely derived from Latin 'felix' meaning 'happy' or 'fortunate.' | Samoan, Tongan | Boy | — | |
| Fuleheu | No reliably recorded meaning found. May be composed of Polynesian elements, but the exact sense is uncertain. | Samoan | Unisex | — | |
| 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 | — | |
| Lelei | Good, fine, well | Samoan | Unisex | — | |
| Li'i Li'i | “little” or “little one” - a reduplicated diminutive emphasizing smallness or youth | Samoan | Unisex | — | |
| Lofa | Love; beloved | Polynesian, Samoan | Unisex | — | |
| 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 | — | |
| Lotu | Worship; to pray; church/religion | Samoan, Tongan | Unisex | — | |
| Maloo | Varies by origin: diminutive 'Mary–Louise' (Malou/Malu); 'pledge' or associated with Saint Malo (Breton); 'thanks' or 'well‑being' in Polynesian context (mālō). | Danish, Samoan, Tongan | Unisex | — | |
| Mamaoleaiseaiga | Mother of the family; matriarch | Samoan | Girl | — | |
| Manti | Uncertain - known as a place-name in the Book of Mormon; no widely agreed literal meaning | Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Meleata | Likely 'song of laughter' or 'smiling song' (from mele = song + ata = laugh/smile) | Polynesian, Samoan | Girl | — | |
| Saimone | He has heard; listener (from Hebrew 'Shim'on') | Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Salu | Grove, small wood (from Finnish 'salo'),In Polynesian use: typically a personal name or nickname without a single fixed lexical meaning,As a diminutive: meaning depends on the full name (e.g., 'savior' for Salvatore, 'peace' or 'righteous' for related Arabic/Hebrew names) | Finnish, Polynesian, Samoan | Unisex | — | |
| Samoan | From Samoa; of Samoan origin | Samoan | Unisex | — | |
| Samoane | From Samoa; 'Samoan' | Polynesian, Samoan | Girl | — | |
| Saʻilele | Forbidden grounds | Samoan | Boy | — | |
| Tione | Uncertain - may be a place-name with no specific lexical meaning, or a variant/adaptation of Antonius (Anthony) meaning 'priceless, of inestimable worth' if derived from that root. | Samoan, Tongan | Unisex | — |
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Samoan-origin name in our dataset.
