I love love love the name [name]Samuel[/name] and nickname [name]Sam[/name], but its my husband’s name, and so its out for our baby boy. What names are the closest to [name]Sam[/name] - classic, strong, friendly, with a hint of old-school?
I have an idea…[name]Samuel[/name] [name]Jr[/name]. 
[name]Sampson[/name]
[name]Solomon[/name]
[name]William[/name]
[name]James[/name]
[name]Tristan[/name]
[name]August[/name]
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head
Similar feel to [name]Sam[/name]
[name]Max[/name]
[name]Ben[/name]
[name]Thomas[/name]
[name]James[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Matthew[/name]
[name]Oscar[/name]
[name]Theo[/name]
[name]Toby[/name]
[name]George[/name]
[name]Jack[/name]
[name]Harry[/name]
[name]Isaac[/name]
[name]Ethan[/name]
[name]Elijah[/name]
[name]Leo[/name]
[name]Adam[/name]
[name]Nicholas[/name]
Name that remind me of [name]Samuel[/name]/[name]Sam[/name] (sorry for repeats):
[name]Arthur[/name]
[name]Andrew[/name]
[name]Benjamin[/name]
[name]Charles[/name]
[name]Calvin[/name]
[name]David[/name]
[name]Dexter[/name]
[name]Dashiell[/name]
[name]Edward[/name]
[name]Elias[/name]
[name]Frederick[/name]
[name]George[/name]
[name]Gabriel[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]James[/name]
[name]Joseph[/name]
[name]Leo[/name]
[name]Milo[/name]
[name]Miles[/name]
[name]Maxwell[/name]
[name]Nathaniel[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Peter[/name]
[name]Simon[/name] (very close to [name]Sam[/name] to me…)
[name]Theodore[/name] (nn [name]Teddy[/name] or [name]Theo[/name])
[name]Thomas[/name]
[name]William[/name]
What about using [name]Samuel[/name] in the middle?
Good luck! 
I think [name]Daniel[/name] and [name]Samuel[/name] have some of the same sound, and [name]Dan[/name] and [name]Sam[/name]. I also think you like the unusual quality and distinction of a [name]Samuel[/name], where a [name]Daniel[/name] is very ordinary, but I love [name]Daniel[/name]! So I have to suggest the similarities, they might appeal to you.
I also like the idea of a chip off the old block without being a junior, like a [name]Samson[/name], but I think you are trying to get a “[name]Sam[/name]” kind of nickname without calling your husband and son both [name]Sam[/name]. [name]Tim[/name] is nice. [name]Cam[/name], e.g. [name]Cameron[/name] or [name]Camden[/name], but those might not sound old enough - [name]Samuel[/name] sounds dusty to me in a good way, while [name]Cam[/name] names sound so preppy and new. [name]Simon[/name] is close to [name]Samuel[/name], to me, but [name]Simon[/name] doesn’t really have a nickname. [name]Bram[/name]? [name]Abraham[/name] nn [name]Bram[/name], or maybe [name]Graham[/name]. I think my sister knew a [name]Graham[/name] that I’d heard about. I don’t know how I feel about [name]Graham[/name], sometimes I think it’s nice and sometimes it’s all cracker. [name]Ted[/name] sounds like a [name]Sam[/name] to me.
To sum up [name]Sam[/name]-ish nicknames or names:
[name]Dan[/name]
[name]Cam[/name]
[name]Simon[/name]
[name]Bram[/name]
[name]Graham[/name]
[name]Tim[/name]
[name]Ted[/name]
Others that come to mind (some need full names to go with - up to you maybe):
[name]Cal[/name]
[name]Van[/name]
[name]Ian[/name]
[name]Stan[/name]
[name]Ken[/name]
[name]Hal[/name]
[name]Walt[/name]
[name]Penn[/name]
[name]Leo[/name]
They either sound like [name]Sam[/name] in my head or have some likeness to my imagery of a [name]Samuel[/name]/[name]Sam[/name].
[/quote]
Sadly, hubby won’t go for it.
[name]Jacob[/name]
[name]Aaron[/name]
[name]Charles[/name]
[name]David[/name]
[name]Henry[/name]
[name]Jonathan[/name]
[name]Richard[/name]
[name]Thomas[/name]
[name]Hugh[/name]
[name]Jeremy[/name]
[name]William[/name]
PS Like the suggestion of [name]Maxwell[/name]
[name]Samuel[/name] nn [name]Sam[/name] (I love [name]Samuel[/name] nn [name]Sam[/name], too!)…
[name]Benjamin[/name] nn [name]Ben[/name] - very similar!
[name]Daniel[/name] - love
[name]Elijah[/name] nn [name]Eli[/name] - love
[name]Gabriel[/name] nn [name]Gabe[/name] - love!
[name]Gideon[/name]
[name]Hosea[/name]
[name]Isaac[/name]
[name]Isaiah[/name]
[name]Jonah[/name]
[name]Julian[/name] nn [name]Jules[/name] - not a bible name, but has [name]Samuel[/name]'s warmth and texture. [name]Love[/name]!
[name]Micah[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name] - see [name]Julian[/name]
[name]Owen[/name] - Welsh name, like [name]Julian[/name] it is very warm.
[name]Samson[/name]
[name]Simeon[/name]
[name]Tobias[/name] nn [name]Toby[/name]
[name]Zachary[/name] nn [name]Zach[/name]
My favorite is [name]Gabriel[/name] nn [name]Gabe[/name]
I think:
[name]William[/name]
[name]Nathan/name
[name]Jasper[/name]
[name]Adam[/name]
[name]Parker[/name]
[name]Robert[/name]
[name]Brennan[/name]
[name]Daniel[/name]
[name]Graham[/name]
[name]Harrison[/name]
[name]James[/name]
[name]Michael[/name]
[name]Oscar[/name]
[name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Sebastian[/name]
[name]Vincent[/name]
[name]Winston[/name]
[name]Walker[/name]
have you considered [name]Samuel[/name] [name]Jr[/name] nn [name]Sam[/name], [name]Sammy[/name]?
[name]Samuel[/name] is such a nice name. I actually love it when sons are named after fathers, grandfathers, etc… I am all about tradition (:
Has someone suggested [name]Samson[/name] yet? [name]Sam[/name]'s son. Or are you trying to stay away from [name]Sam[/name] all together?
[name]Samuel[/name] - [name]Sam[/name] is one of my all time favorite “all-boy” names. Others I like are:
[name]Benjamin[/name] - [name]Ben[/name]
[name]Elijah[/name] - [name]Eli[/name]
[name]Luke[/name]
[name]Abraham[/name] - [name]Abe[/name]
[name]Sullivan[/name] - [name]Sully[/name]
Also [name]Matthew[/name] - [name]Matt[/name]
and [name]Henry[/name] - [name]Hank[/name]
[name]Edward[/name] - [name]Eddie[/name]/[name]Ed[/name]/[name]Ned[/name]
[name]Benjamin[/name] was the first name to pop into my mind as the perfect alternate to [name]Samuel[/name]; I think it has the same feel you’re going for, and can be shortened to [name]Ben[/name], which like [name]Sam[/name], has that familiar, but not overly popular charm.
Some others you may like as well:
[name]Frederick[/name] ([name]Fred[/name])
[name]Adam[/name]
[name]Nathaniel[/name] ([name]Nate[/name])
[name]Timothy[/name] ([name]Tim[/name])
I would say [name]Simon[/name].
I feel that [name]Theo[/name] is very close to [name]Sam[/name]. [name]Both[/name] short and soft sounding.
[name]Theodore[/name] and [name]Samuel[/name] are similar too. [name]Both[/name] are formal and old fashioned but not too common and still gentle. Dignified in a way