The real first name of detective Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon is Samuel.
Sam Spade is the fictional private detective created by Dashiell Hammett for his 1930 novel The Maltese Falcon. The character is identified as Samuel Spade, although “Sam” is the form used almost universally in the novel, films, radio programs, and later adaptations.
The novel first appeared as a five-part serial in Black Mask magazine from September 1929 through January 1930. Spade became a defining hard-boiled detective: emotionally controlled, observant, morally complicated, and willing to manipulate criminals and clients alike. He helped establish the template later associated with detectives such as Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe.
The best-known screen portrayal is Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade in John Huston’s 1941 film. That version made the character a lasting film-noir icon, but Bogart’s performance should not obscure Spade’s literary origin. “Simon,” “Stanley,” and “Sidney” are not alternate first names for the detective.