Sam is a given name as well as a nickname, often used by people named Samuel, Sameer, Samira, Samson, and Samantha, Samjhana.
A
edit- Sam Abbas (born 1993), Egyptian film producer and director
- Sam Adams (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Adekugbe (born 1995), Canadian soccer player
- Sam Albatros, Greek writer
- Sam Allardyce (born 1954), English football manager and player
- Sam Altman (born 1985), American entrepreneur
- Sam Anderson (born 1945), American actor
- Sam Arday (1945–2017), Ghanaian football coach
- Sammy Arnold (born 1996), English-born, Irish rugby union player
B
edit- Sam Babcock (1901–1970), American football player
- Sam Baker (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Balter (1909–1998), American basketball player
- Sam Bankman-Fried (born 1992), American entrepreneur and suspected fraudster
- Sam Barkas (1909–1989), English football player and manager
- Sam Barlow (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Bass (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Beal (born 1996), American football player
- Sam Beeton (born 1988), British singer-songwriter and musician
- Sam Bennett (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Bith (c. 1933–2008), Cambodian guerrilla commander and convicted murderer
- Sam Bohne (1896–1977), American Major League Baseball player
- Sam Born (1891–1959), American businessman, candy-maker and inventor
- Sam Bottoms (1955–2008), American actor and producer
- Sam Boyd (1910–1993), American businessman and casino manager and developer
- Sam Bradford (born 1987), American football player
- Sam Brittleton (1885–1951), English footballer
- Sam Brown (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Brownback (born 1956), American politician, governor of Kansas
- Sam Brunelli (born 1943), American football player
- Sam Burgess (born 1988), English Rugby League player
- Sam Bush (born 1952), American bluegrass mandolin player
C
edit- Sam Carey (disappeared 1903), American fugitive
- Sam Carlson (born 1998), American baseball player
- Sam Carter (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Cassell (born 1969), American basketball player and assistant coach
- Sam Chisholm (1939–2018), New Zealand-born media executive
- Sam Clark (born 1987), Australian actor, singer and songwriter
- Sam Clay (born 1993), American baseball player
- Sam Clemons (born 1978), American football player
- Sam Collier (1912–1950), American advertising entrepreneur
- Sam Collins (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Concepcion (born 1992), Filipino singer
- Sam Cooke (1931–1964), American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur
- Sam Coonrod (born 1992), American baseball player
- Sam Cooper (American football) (1909–1998), American football player
- Sam Coslow (1902–1982), American songwriter, singer and film producer
- Sam Cosmi (born 1999), American football player
- Sam Crawford (1880–1968), American baseball player
- Sam Cunningham (1950–2021), American football player
D
edit- Sam Daly (born 1984), American actor
- Sam Darnold (born 1997), American football player
- Sam Dastyari (born 1983), Iranian-born Australian Senator representing New South Wales
- Sam Davies (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Davis (1842–1863), Confederate soldier and spy
- Sammy Davis Jr. (1925-1990), American singer, actor, comedian and dancer
- Sam Day (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam De Grasse (1875–1953), Canadian actor
- Sam Delaplane (born 1995), American baseball pitcher
- Sam Demel (born 1985), American baseball pitcher
- Sam Denby (born 1998), American YouTuber
- Sam Donaldson (born 1934), American reporter and news anchor
- Sam Duncan, Westmeath Gaelic footballer
- Sam Dunell (born 1990), Australian rules football player
E
edit- Sam Ehlinger (born 1998), American football player
- Sam Elliott (born 1944), American actor
- Sam Ermolenko (born 1960), American speedway rider
- Sam Ervin (1896–1985), American politician
- Sam Eyde (1866–1940), Norwegian engineer and industrialist
F
edit- Sam Faber (born 1987), American ice hockey player
- Sam Farr (born 1941), American politician from California
- Sam Fatu (born 1965), American professional wrestler
- Sam Feldt (born 1993), Dutch DJ and music producer
- Sam Peter Christopher Fernando (1909-after 1962), Sri Lankan Sinhala lawyer, diplomat, and politician
- Sam Fisher (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Fletcher (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Francis (1923–1994), American painter and printmaker
- Sam Franklin (American football) (born 1996), American football player
- Sam Fuld (born 1981), American major league baseball outfielder and general manager
G
edit- Sam Gagner (born 1989), Canadian ice hockey centre
- Sam George (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Giammalva (born 1934), American tennis player
- Sam Giancana (1908–1975), Italian-American mobster, boss of the Chicago Outfit
- Sam Gibson (disambiguation), multiple people
- Samuel Goldwyn (1882–1974), Polish-American film producer
H
edit- Sam Haggerty (born 1994), American baseball player
- Sam Hanks (1914–1994), American racecar driver
- Sam Harding (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Harris (born 1967), American author, neuroscientist and philosopher
- Sam Harrison (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Hartman (born 1999), American football player
- Sam Hentges (born 1996), American baseball player
- Sam Hentges (ice hockey) (born 1999), American ice hockey player
- Sam Heughan (born 1980), Scottish actor
- Sam Hill (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Hilliard (born 1994), American baseball player
- Sam Holmes (sailor), American sailor and YouTuber
- Sam Hornish Jr. (born 1979), American stock car racing driver
- Sam Houser (born 1971), English-American video game producer and developer
- Sam Houston (1793–1863), American politician and soldier
- Sam Howard (born 1993), American baseball player
- Sam Howell (born 2000), American football player
- Sam Hubbard (born 1996), American football player
- Sam Huff (1934–2021), American football player
- Sam Huff (baseball) (born 1998), American baseball player
- Sam Hui (born 1948), Hong Kong musician, singer, songwriter and actor
- Sam Hunt (born 1984), American singer and songwriter
I
edit- Sam Iorio (born 1998), American-Israeli basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Sam Irwin-Hill (born 1990), American football player
J
edit- Sam Jackson (footballer) (born 1998), Liberian footballer
- Sam Jaffe (1891–1984), American actor, teacher and engineer
- Sam Jaffe (producer) (1901–2000), American film producer, agent and studio executive
- Sam Johnson (1930–2020), American politician and U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot
- Sam Johnstone (born 1993), English footballer
- Sam E. Jonah (born 1949), Ghanaian businessman
- Sam Jones (disambiguation), multiple people
K
edit- Sam Kamara (born 1997), American football player
- Sam Kasiano (born 1990), New Zealand Rugby League player
- Sam Katz (born 1951), Canadian politician, mayor of Winnipeg
- Sam Katzman (1901–1973), American film producer and director
- Sam Keith (1921–2003), American author
- Sam Kendricks (born 1992), American track and field athlete
- Sam Kennedy (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Kerr (born 1993), Australian football player
- Sam Kerr (born 1999), Scottish football player
- Sam Kieth (born 1963), American comic book writer and illustrator
- Sam Kinison (1953–1992), American stand-up comedian and actor
- Sam Knox (1910–1981), American football player
- Sam Kong, Hawaiian politician
- Sam Koch (born 1982), American football punter
L
edit- Sam Lanin (1891–1977), American jazz bandleader
- Sam LaPorta (born 2001), American football player
- Sam Leach (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Lee (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Little (golfer) (born 1975), English professional golfer
- Sam Lloyd (1963–2020), American character actor and musician
- Sam Long (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam LoPresti (1917–1984), American ice hockey goaltender
- Sam Low (born 1970), American businessman and member of the Washington State House of Representatives
- Sam Loxton (1921–2011), Australian cricketer, footballer and politician
M
edit- Sam Mac, Australian radio and television personality
- Sam Macaroni (born 1975), American actor, film director, and writer
- Sam Maceo (1894–1951), Sicilian-American businessman and organized crime boss
- Sam Mackinnon, Australian basketball player
- Sam Manekshaw (1914–2008), Field Marshal of the Indian Army
- Sam Mangubat (born 1990), Filipino singer
- Sam Manning (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Match (1923–2010), American tennis player
- Sam Mayes (born 1994), Australian rules footballer
- Sam McCullum (born 1952), American football player
- Sam McDowell (born 1943), American baseball pitcher
- Sam McIntosh (born 1990), Australian parathlete
- Sam McKendry (born 1989), New Zealand Rugby League player
- Sam Mele (1922–2017), American baseball right fielder, manager, coach and scout
- Sam Mendes (born 1965), English stage and film director
- Sam Mewis (born 1992), American soccer player
- Sam Milby (born 1984), Filipino-American actor and singer
- Sam Mitchell (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Moa (born 1986), Tongan-New Zealand Rugby League player
- Sam Moll (born 1992), American baseball player
- Sam Montgomery (born 1990), American football player
- Sam Moran (born 1978), Australian entertainer
- Sam Moskowitz (1920–1997), American science fiction writer, critic, and historian
- Sam Mustipher (born 1996), American football player
- Sam Myhrman (1912–1965), Swedish Air Force major general
- Sam Mvimbi (born 1999), South African field hockey player
N
edit- Sam Nakagama, Japanese businessman and economist
- Sam Neill (born 1947), New Zealand actor
- Sam Newfield (1899–1964), American film director
- Sam Newman (born 1945), Australian rules football player and television personality
- Sam Nixon (born 1986), English singer and television presenter
- Sam Nogajski (born 1979), Australian cricket umpire
- Sam Nunn (born 1938), American lawyer and politician from Georgia
O
edit- Sam Okuayinonu (born 1998), Liberian-American football player
- Sam Okyere (born 1991), Ghanaian television personality
P
edit- Sam Paulescu (born 1984), American football punter
- Sam Pease, English-born New Zealand author, television presenter, journalist and television host
- Sam Peckinpah (1925–1984), American filmmaker and screenwriter
- Sam Perrett (born 1985), New Zealand Rugby League player
- Sam Perrin (1901–1998), American Emmy Award-winning screenwriter
- Sam Phillips (1923–2003), American record producer
- Sam Pollock (1925–2007), Canadian sports executive
- Sam Posey (born 1944), American racecar driver and sports broadcast journalist
- Sam Prekop (born 1964), American rock/pop musician
- Sam Presti (born 1977), general manager of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder since 2007
- Sam C. Pointer Jr. (1934–2008), American attorney and federal judge
Q
edit- Sam Qualiana (born 1986), American filmmaker and actor
- Sam Querrey (born 1987), American tennis player
R
edit- Sam Raben (born 1997), American soccer player
- Sam Raimi (born 1959), American film director, producer, actor and writer
- Sam Rayburn (1882–1961), American politician from Texas
- Sam Register (born 1969), American television producer and businessman
- Sam Rice (1890–1974), American baseball pitcher and right fielder
- Sam Riegel (born 1976), American voice actor, writer and director
- Sam Rivers (jazz musician) (1923–2011), American jazz musician and composer
- Sam Robards (born 1961), American actor
- Sam Roberts (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Robertson (born 1985), Scottish actor
- Sam Rockwell (born 1968), American actor
- Sam Roddick (born 1971), British entrepreneur, founder of Coco de Mer
- Sam Rogers (fullback) (born 1995), American football player
- Sam Rosen (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Rothschild (1899–1987), Canadian ice hockey player
- Sam Russell (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Ryan (born 1969), American sportscaster
S
edit- Sam Samore, American artist
- Sam Schachter (born 1990), Canadian Olympic beach volleyball player
- Sam Schwartzstein (born 1989), American football player
- Sam Scott, New Zealand director
- Sam Sebo (1906–1933), American football player
- Sam Selman (born 1990), American baseball player
- Sam Shaw (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Shendi Egyptian-born British sculptor
- Sam Shepard (1943–2017), American playwright, actor, author, screenwriter, and director
- Sam Shepherd (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Shilton (born 1978), English footballer
- Sam S. Shubert (1878–1905), American producer and theatre owner and operator
- Sam Simmons (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Simon (1955–2015), American television producer and writer, developer of The Simpsons
- Sam Singer (1912–2001), American animator and animation producer
- Sam Singer (basketball) (born 1995), American-Israeli basketball player for Israeli team Bnei Herzliya
- Sam Sloma (born 1982), English football player
- Sam Sloman (born 1997), American football player
- Sam Smith (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Snead (1912–2002), American professional golfer
- Sam Sneed (born 1968), American producer and rapper
- Sam Sodje (born 1979), Nigerian footballer
- Sam Sparro (born 1983), Australian singer, songwriter, and producer
- Sam Spiegel (1901–1985), Austrian-born American independent film producer
- Sam Sullivan (born 1959), Canadian politician
- Sam Sweeney (born 1989), English folk musician
T
edit- Sam Tamburo (1926–1998), American football player
- Sam Tanenhaus (born 1955), American historian, biographer, and journalist
- Sam Taylor-Johnson (born 1967), English filmmaker, photographer and visual artist
- Sam Tecklenburg (born 1997), American football player
- Sam Thaiday (born 1985), Australian rugby league footballer
- Sam Thomas (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Tillen (born 1985), English footballer
- Sam Torrance (born 1953), Scottish golfer
- Sam Trammell (born 1969), American actor
V
edit- Sam Vincent (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Virgo (born 1985), Australian rules footballer
W
edit- Sam Walton (1918–1992), American businessman and entrepreneur
- Sam Walton (American football) (1943–2002), American football player
- Sam Wang (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Warburg (born 1983), American tennis player
- Sam Warner (1887–1927), American film producer, co-founder and chief executive officer of Warner Bros. Studios
- Sam Waterston (born 1940), American actor, producer and director
- Sam Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Watters (born 1970), American songwriter and record producer
- Sam Weaver (1909–1985), English footballer
- Sam Weaver (baseball) (1855–1914), American baseball player
- Sam Webb (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Webster (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Weir (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Weller (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Welsford (born 1996), Australian racing cyclist
- Sam Whiteman (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Wiglusz (born 1999), American football player
- Sam Wilder (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Williams (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Winnall (born 1991), English footballer
- Sam Witwer (born 1977), American actor
- Sam Wood (1883–1949), American film director and producer
- Sam Worthington (born 1976), Australian actor
- Sam Wright (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Wyly (born 1934), American entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist, and campaign contributor
Y
edit- Sam Yorty (1909–1998), American politician from California
- Sam Young (disambiguation), multiple people
- Sam Younger (born 1951), British media and charity manager
Z
edit- Sam Zell (1941–2023), American billionaire businessman and philanthropist
- Sam Zvibleman, American television writer
Fictional characters
edit- Lawyer Sam, a character from the 1985 American drama television series Hell Town
- Long Sam, American comic strip character
- Yosemite Sam and Sam Sheepdog, two Looney Tunes characters
- Maggie & Sam, two Woody Woodpecker characters
- Cavity Sam, a patient man from HASBRO's Operation
- Sam, a character in the 1988 American drama movie Another Woman
- Sam, a character in the 1993 American romantic comedy-drama movie Benny & Joon
- Sam, a character in the 1997 American drama television movie Deep Family Secrets
- Sam, a character in the 2000 American fantasy-comedy TV movie Life-Size
- Sam, a character is a 2000 American romantic comedy movie Enemies of Laughter
- Sam, a character in the American 2009 comedy television film Mr. Troop Mom
- Sam, one of the two main characters in the 2022 American comedy movie Sam & Kate
- Sam, a character in the 2023 independent movie Close to You
- Sam Bains, a character from the movie Back to the Future
- Sam Brown, a character in the 2004 American animated Western musical comedy movie Home on the Range
- Samantha Carter, in the TV show Stargate SG-1
- Sam Crenshaw, a character in the 1980s Canadian children's television program Today's Special
- Samuel "Sam" Drake, from Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Sam Porter Bridges, the protagonist of Death Stranding
- Samuel "Sam", a character from Total Drama: Revenge of the Island
- Sam Eagle, from The Muppet Show
- Sam Emerson, a character from the film The Lost Boys
- Sam Fisher, protagonist of the Splinter Cell video game series
- Sam Flagg, a character in the TV series M*A*S*H
- Sam Flusky, protagonist of the novel and film Under Capricorn
- Sam Flynn, protagonist of the film Tron: Legacy
- Samwise Gamgee, in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium
- Samantha "Sam" Giddings, one of eight protagonist in the survival horror game Until Dawn
- Sam Gideon, the main character in Vanquish
- Sam Gillman, a younger boy from Ruby Gillman
- Sam Hell, the main character in the 1988 and 1993 American science fiction action movies Hell Comes to Frogtown and Return to Frogtown
- Sam Jones, main character in Welsh children's show "Fireman Sam"
- Samantha "Sam" Kanisky, a character on the American television sitcom Gimme a Break
- Detective Sam Keith, a character from the 1980 New Zealand docu-drama feature movie Beyond Reasonable Doubt
- Sam Klieber, a character in the 2009 American romantic comedy-drama movie Adam
- Sam Loomis, character in the novel and film Psycho
- Sam Malone, character on the American sitcom television series Cheers
- Samantha "Sam" Manson, cartoon character in the TV series Danny Phantom
- Sam Maris, a character in the 1990 American comedy movie Ski Patrol
- Sam McKinney, a character in the American television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes
- Samantha "Sam" Micelli, a character in the TV show Who's the Boss?
- Samantha "Sam" Milano, a character in the TV sitcom Step by Step
- Samantha "Sam" Montgomery, in the film A Cinderella Story
- Samantha "Sam" Moore, a character in the 1989 action movie No Holds Barred
- Sam Puckett, in the TV show iCarly, who is the same Sam Puckett in the TV show Sam & Cat
- Samuel "Jetstream Sam" Rodrigues, a character in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
- Sam Seaborn, on the TV series The West Wing portrayed by Rob Lowe
- Sam Sharp, a Louds character
- Sam Smythe, a character played by Les Lye in the 1983 Nickelodeon production UFO Kidnapped
- Sam Snow, a character in The Creature Cases
- Sam Spade, protagonist in the novel and film The Maltese Falcon, created by Dashiell Hammett
- Sam Sparks, a character in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
- Sam Sullivan, character in The 5th Wave
- Samwell Tarly, in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice book series, and the TV show Game of Thrones adapted from the same series
- Sam Tucker, a character in the 1937 British musical movie Song of the Forge
- Sam Uley, a character in the novel and movie Twilight
- Sam Vimes, is a fictional character in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series
- Sam Wilson, Marvel superhero the Falcon/Captain America
- Sam Wilson (Marvel Cinematic Universe), the primary film/television adaptation of the character
- Sam Winchester, one of the two protagonists of the American drama television series Supernatural
- Sam Witwicky, protagonist of the first three Transformers films; portrayed by Shia LaBeouf
- Toucan Sam, cartoon mascot for Kellogg's Froot Loops breakfast cereal
- Uncle Sam, a personification of the United States government
- Sam, a character in the film Casablanca
- Sam, a bartender in the comic book series Kingsman: The Red Diamond
- Sam, an onion farmer in the novel Holes and its film adaptation
- Sam, a character in the novel and film The Magnificent Ambersons
- Sam, of the American comic character duo Sam & Max
- Sam-I-Am, a character in the Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham
- Sam (Totally Spies), main character in the French animated show Totally Spies!
- Sam Lawton, the protagonist in Final Destination 5
- Pajama Sam, protagonist of the adventure series "Pajama Sam" by Humongous Entertainment
- Peter Sam and Sam, two locomotives from Thomas & Friends
- Sam, the title character on Sam and Friends
- SAM or S.A.M., a character from The Outer Worlds