Fun Facts About the Name Hobbes
- 65 babies named Hobbes: U.S. records list 65 babies given the name Hobbes from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Hobbes Mean?
Hobbes is an English surname meaning 'son of Hobb,' and it is sometimes used as a first name. It is a spelling variant of Hobbs, formed from the Middle English personal name Hobbe (also spelled Hobb), a pet form of Robert, plus the possessive or patronymic ending -s. Robert comes from Old French Robert, from a Germanic name whose elements mean 'fame' and 'bright,' commonly rendered 'bright fame'; that is the meaning of the ancestor name, not a separate meaning of Hobbes.
Hobbes Name History & Origins
The surname Hobbes belongs to a group of English surnames formed from medieval pet forms of Robert. Robert was brought to England by the Normans and became a common personal name in the Middle Ages. Short forms such as Hob, Hobbe, Rob, and Robin were used alongside it. Hobbe lies behind the surnames Hobbs and Hobbes, while Hob plus -son gave Hobson. The spelling Hobbes is one of several recorded variants; like Hobbs, it originated as a patronymic, identifying the son of a man called Hobb.
The name is closely associated with Thomas Hobbes (1588 - 1679), the English philosopher whose Leviathan (1651) is a central work of political thought. That association made the surname familiar in the history of philosophy, but it does not explain the surname's origin. In modern English, Hobbes also appears as the name of the tiger in Bill Watterson's comic strip Calvin and Hobbes (1985 - 1995), a fictional use rather than an earlier source for the name.
As a first name, Hobbes is uncommon; it is best understood as a surname used in the modern English pattern of surname-derived given names.
How Popular is the Name Hobbes?
Hobbes has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2015. Its best rank was #6,824 in 2015.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,717 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #12,951 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #7,446 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #12,981 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #10,050 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #6,824 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #9,095 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #11,243 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #11,362 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Hobbes Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Hobbes's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Hobbes's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.