Fun Facts About the Name Bob
- More than 93 thousand babies named Bob: U.S. records list 93,307 babies given the name Bob from 1880 through 2025. Even 322 girls received the name Bob - about 1 girl for every 289 boys.
What Does the Name Bob Mean?
Bob is an English pet form of Robert, and it carries the meaning of that parent name: "bright fame." Robert entered English from Old French Robert, which came from Medieval Latin Robertus, itself a form of the Old High German name Hruodperht (also written Hrodperht). That Germanic name joins two elements: hruod, "fame" or "glory," and beraht, "bright" or "shining."
The literal sense of the compound is "bright in fame," often given in the customary word order as "bright fame." Because Bob is a nickname rather than a separately formed name, it has no independent etymology of its own; its meaning is the one inherited through Robert.
Bob Name History & Origins
Robert came into English after the Norman Conquest of 1066, and it became one of the most common men's names in medieval England. That heavy use produced a large family of short forms. Medieval English nicknames were often made by trimming a name and then swapping its first letter to create rhyming variants: from Rob came Hob, Dob, Nob, and Bob. Forms such as Bobbe, Hobb, and Dobbe survive in medieval English surnames, where nicknames of this kind are often preserved. Bob therefore grew out of this rhyming pattern rather than being a simple clipping of the first syllable of Robert.
Bob served for centuries as a familiar short form of Robert, and it later came into use as a given name in its own right, especially in the English-speaking world. The longer pet forms Bobby and Bobbie developed alongside it. One well-known literary use is Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (1843); this is a famous appearance of the name, not its origin. Separately from the name, bob is an English verb and noun for a quick up-and-down movement, and a short haircut; those words are unrelated to the personal name.
How Popular is the Name Bob?
Bob recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1959. Bob entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 1927.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | #8,103 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #4,330 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #6,656 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #5,942 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #6,666 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #6,652 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1959 | #4,666 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #5,433 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #5,274 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #5,820 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #5,738 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #4,726 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #5,311 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #5,378 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #4,620 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #4,110 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #3,525 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #3,783 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1941 | #3,603 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1940 | #4,433 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1939 | #3,167 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1938 | #3,483 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1937 | #2,207 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1936 | #3,135 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1935 | #2,758 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1934 | #3,190 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1933 | #2,419 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1932 | #2,047 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1931 | #2,777 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1930 | #2,436 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1929 | #4,122 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #2,789 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1927 | #2,441 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #3,291 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #4,501 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #4,054 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #2,943 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1921 | #3,197 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #4,318 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #4,908 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1917 | #4,153 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1913 | #3,249 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,845 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #10,012 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #8,340 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #12,607 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #6,677 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #6,138 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #5,132 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2017 | #5,128 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #6,404 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #6,040 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #10,886 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #4,820 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #8,968 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #5,979 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #7,649 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #4,443 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #4,279 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 2007 | #9,020 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #6,969 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #3,826 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2004 | #4,438 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #7,307 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #4,526 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #4,140 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #2,871 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1999 | #4,367 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1998 | #3,502 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1997 | #2,456 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1996 | #2,489 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1995 | #2,514 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1994 | #2,185 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 1993 | #2,095 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1992 | #1,920 | 42 | 0.0021% |
| 1991 | #1,396 | 66 | 0.0033% |
| 1990 | #1,567 | 53 | 0.0026% |
| 1989 | #1,477 | 56 | 0.0028% |
| 1988 | #1,375 | 57 | 0.0030% |
| 1987 | #1,315 | 56 | 0.0030% |
| 1986 | #1,218 | 62 | 0.0034% |
| 1985 | #1,083 | 73 | 0.0039% |
| 1984 | #1,023 | 76 | 0.0042% |
| 1983 | #936 | 89 | 0.0050% |
| 1982 | #933 | 92 | 0.0051% |
| 1981 | #986 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 1980 | #862 | 106 | 0.0059% |
| 1979 | #799 | 118 | 0.0069% |
| 1978 | #813 | 110 | 0.0067% |
| 1977 | #778 | 120 | 0.0073% |
| 1976 | #706 | 139 | 0.0089% |
| 1975 | #625 | 167 | 0.0107% |
| 1974 | #619 | 170 | 0.0108% |
| 1973 | #540 | 208 | 0.0133% |
| 1972 | #535 | 221 | 0.0136% |
| 1971 | #449 | 325 | 0.0184% |
| 1970 | #399 | 406 | 0.0218% |
| 1969 | #380 | 425 | 0.0238% |
| 1968 | #354 | 477 | 0.0274% |
| 1967 | #324 | 535 | 0.0307% |
| 1966 | #280 | 684 | 0.0384% |
| 1965 | #230 | 1,003 | 0.0539% |
| 1964 | #198 | 1,432 | 0.0719% |
| 1963 | #167 | 1,844 | 0.0908% |
| 1962 | #151 | 2,167 | 0.1047% |
| 1961 | #141 | 2,503 | 0.1178% |
| 1960 | #131 | 2,719 | 0.1275% |
| 1959 | #128 | 2,826 | 0.1324% |
| 1958 | #139 | 2,518 | 0.1186% |
| 1957 | #171 | 1,814 | 0.0841% |
| 1956 | #228 | 1,020 | 0.0482% |
| 1955 | #248 | 798 | 0.0387% |
| 1954 | #266 | 697 | 0.0342% |
| 1953 | #264 | 690 | 0.0350% |
| 1952 | #247 | 756 | 0.0389% |
| 1951 | #237 | 806 | 0.0428% |
| 1950 | #204 | 976 | 0.0545% |
| 1949 | #162 | 1,466 | 0.0826% |
| 1948 | #141 | 1,960 | 0.1117% |
| 1947 | #115 | 2,514 | 0.1374% |
| 1946 | #107 | 2,493 | 0.1535% |
| 1945 | #107 | 2,176 | 0.1617% |
| 1944 | #109 | 2,133 | 0.1565% |
| 1943 | #110 | 2,275 | 0.1594% |
| 1942 | #110 | 2,203 | 0.1595% |
| 1941 | #103 | 2,074 | 0.1689% |
| 1940 | #99 | 2,082 | 0.1796% |
| 1939 | #89 | 2,244 | 0.2027% |
| 1938 | #94 | 2,204 | 0.1987% |
| 1937 | #81 | 2,364 | 0.2216% |
| 1936 | #77 | 2,408 | 0.2322% |
| 1935 | #81 | 2,389 | 0.2294% |
| 1934 | #75 | 2,478 | 0.2400% |
| 1933 | #82 | 2,222 | 0.2241% |
| 1932 | #79 | 2,424 | 0.2321% |
| 1931 | #78 | 2,318 | 0.2230% |
| 1930 | #88 | 2,242 | 0.2043% |
| 1929 | #89 | 2,103 | 0.1955% |
| 1928 | #95 | 2,093 | 0.1890% |
| 1927 | #100 | 1,970 | 0.1748% |
| 1926 | #102 | 1,778 | 0.1601% |
| 1925 | #129 | 1,369 | 0.1227% |
| 1924 | #142 | 1,167 | 0.1030% |
| 1923 | #164 | 916 | 0.0836% |
| 1922 | #179 | 787 | 0.0723% |
| 1921 | #178 | 798 | 0.0725% |
| 1920 | #189 | 710 | 0.0667% |
| 1919 | #222 | 548 | 0.0559% |
| 1918 | #245 | 477 | 0.0471% |
| 1917 | #272 | 352 | 0.0380% |
| 1916 | #296 | 304 | 0.0342% |
| 1915 | #292 | 296 | 0.0349% |
| 1914 | #307 | 217 | 0.0331% |
| 1913 | #314 | 164 | 0.0320% |
| 1912 | #306 | 141 | 0.0328% |
| 1911 | #308 | 76 | 0.0336% |
| 1910 | #229 | 103 | 0.0530% |
| 1909 | #299 | 58 | 0.0354% |
| 1908 | #242 | 77 | 0.0499% |
| 1907 | #231 | 77 | 0.0524% |
| 1906 | #235 | 69 | 0.0518% |
| 1905 | #259 | 58 | 0.0438% |
| 1904 | #234 | 65 | 0.0507% |
| 1903 | #223 | 66 | 0.0554% |
| 1902 | #225 | 64 | 0.0522% |
| 1901 | #245 | 49 | 0.0460% |
| 1900 | #196 | 98 | 0.0651% |
| 1899 | #219 | 59 | 0.0555% |
| 1898 | #224 | 61 | 0.0497% |
| 1897 | #238 | 53 | 0.0470% |
| 1896 | #271 | 45 | 0.0376% |
| 1895 | #243 | 54 | 0.0460% |
| 1894 | #249 | 48 | 0.0415% |
| 1893 | #222 | 59 | 0.0525% |
| 1892 | #223 | 61 | 0.0500% |
| 1891 | #214 | 55 | 0.0544% |
| 1890 | #227 | 53 | 0.0477% |
| 1889 | #226 | 51 | 0.0461% |
| 1888 | #228 | 59 | 0.0488% |
| 1887 | #172 | 74 | 0.0730% |
| 1886 | #200 | 66 | 0.0596% |
| 1885 | #227 | 52 | 0.0482% |
| 1884 | #240 | 50 | 0.0437% |
| 1883 | #190 | 62 | 0.0593% |
| 1882 | #212 | 59 | 0.0519% |
| 1881 | #218 | 50 | 0.0496% |
| 1880 | #244 | 46 | 0.0416% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
