Given name & surname
Bobby
“one who is bright with fame”·“foreign woman”·“a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger”
In English use, Bobby is a diminutive of Robert. One German interpretation is “one who is bright with fame.” Bobby is a variant of Barbara. Interpretations include “foreign woman” and “a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Bobby is a diminutive of Robert. One German interpretation is “one who is bright with fame.” Bobby is a variant of Barbara. Interpretations include “foreign woman” and “a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Bobby is a diminutive of Robert. Robert has been associated with Germanic and English naming traditions. Bobby is a variant of Barbara. An origin associated with Barbara is Latin.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Bobby is a diminutive of Robert.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1900. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Bobby is a diminutive of Robert. The history of Robert gives this family its wider story. Robert’s historical associations include three kings of Scotland, notably Robert the Bruce.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Bobby through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 324,728
- 315,053 boys · 9,675 girls
- Most popular year
- 1935
- 7,971 babies
- 2025
- 207
- #1,097 for boys · #8,448 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −28%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 98% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 195 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,097 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 30.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 7,745 in 1937. It also appeared in 12 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (21). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 163,860 as a first name in 2020; 1,073 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Bobby’s family of names
In English usage, Bobby is a diminutive of Robert. Bobby has a related form in Barbara. In English usage, Bobby is a diminutive of Roberta.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Bobby
- Bobby CharltonEnglish association football player and manager (1937–2023)
- Bobby RobsonEnglish association football player and manager (1933-2009)
- Bobby MooreEnglish association football player (1941–1993)
- Bobby McFerrinAmerican jazz vocalist and composer (born 1950)
- Bobby SandsActivist of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (1954-1981)
- Bobby FarrellDutch dancer and singer (1949–2010)
- Bobby CannavaleAmerican actor (born 1970)
- Bobby JindalAmerican politician and 55th governor of Louisiana (born 1971)
- Bobby MorrowAmerican sprinter (1935–2020)
Characters named Bobby: Bobby Singer (the TV series Supernatural), Bobby Baccalieri (The Sopranos), Bobby Ewing (the television show Dallas).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Bobby, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Bud
“one who is brotherly”
>99% boys
Dick
“a powerful ruler”
>99% boys
Buddy
“one who is brotherly”
>99% boys
Gilbert
“servant of St BRIDGET” · “of the bright promise”
>99% boys
Lavon
“a white-haired or whiteskinned man” · “a spirited man”
>99% boys
Boyd
“a blonde-haired man”
>99% boys
Norman
“a man from the north”
>99% boys
Melvin
“a friend who offers counsel”
>99% boys