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I have a dilemma with Sam, because I think it's got an adorable boy-next-door feeling, but at the same time I'm not sure if it can stand alone. I'm not very keen on Samuel etc. So I guess I would say... go for it. Today I think it can stand on its own!

Sam is a nice name. I don't think it's boring. But i do work with a Sam, who's just a Sam as well. At first it was difficult not lengthen it to Samuel, Sameth, or Samwise but I've grown used to it. (Some of my coworkers occansionally lengthen it in good fun from time to time though.)

I really dislike it. It means alone in Croatian and besides it's too much a nickname to work as a full name, imo (I expect a Sam would have to spend his whole life explaining that no, he is not a Samuel or a Samson, etc.).

I love it! It's not boring, imo. Sam sounds warm and friendly to me. It's an all-around "good guy" name. I picture a generous, capable, likable man. You didn't ask, but I think it would work well with Jasper.

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I haven't read the other responses, but I imagine a lot of people don't like Sam as a standalone. I do. It meets my (completely subjective) criteria on whether a nickname-name works or not: It doesn't sound babyish or embarrassing, and it wouldn't make me pause to see it preceded by a professional title or on a business card.

I do prefer it as a nn, but I'll focus on Sam. Sam is adorable. It's the friendliest, happiest sounding name.

I like Sam, but prefer it as a nickname

I like Sam, but I think it should be a nickname for Samuel, Samson, etc. As a full name, it's boring and unnoticeable.

I don't dislike it, but I do find it a little bland. It doesn't have any substance, I personally feel. I would love to meet a Samson "Sam" though.

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Not that it affects you much, but I do know a Sam who hates it and wishes he was Samuel, and I know a Samuel who hates it and wishes he was just Sam, but of course the option is more open to the latter.

Samuel nn Sam is one of my favourite boys names. I don't like it on its own though - I wouldn't know if a Sam would be male or female.

I hate it as a full name. For some reason it just really bugs me. I don't think it's boring, necessarily. Just incomplete and silly.

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On a related note, Samuel is super boring in my books. Samson, however, is super cool! Samo, Samppa, Masamba, Bassam, all pretty cool.

I like it a lot and no, I don't think it's boring. I've never known anyone who is called Sam, so I'm not bored with it. I know one Samuel but he is always called Sammy, never Sam. But I don't like it as a full name, as I think Samuel is great so I would never bypass Samuel and go straight to Sam. I really don't care for nicknames used as full names.

I really like it, and I think it'd work as a full name. Samuel doesn't have any appeal to me. Samwise is more to my liking, but I think that's not really usable, to be honest. I love the Tolkien character but some people might think it's weird. I don't think it's boring at all, though.

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If I had been a boy, my parents would have names me Sam, so maybe I'm a bit biased.

This message was edited 7/30/2014, 2:38 AM

I dislike Sam intensely - I'd love to find it boring, but instead it seems slimy and noisy and underhand. And that goes for Samuel and Samantha as well.

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