A 1930s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Bob since 1880
Babies named Bob per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1959, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Bob's real moment was 1934.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 569 |
| 1890s | 548 |
| 1900s | 681 |
| 1910s | 2,678 |
| 1920s | 13,691 |
| 1930s | 23,293 |
| 1940s | 21,376 |
| 1950s | 12,902 |
| 1960s | 13,789 |
| 1970s | 1,983 |
| 1980s | 751 |
| 1990s | 367 |
| 2000s | 184 |
| 2010s | 134 |
| 2020s | 40 |
Meaning & origin
Bob reached its peak popularity in 1934, when it was the 61st most common name for American boys. It was a staple of the 1930s, reflecting a broader trend of informal short forms such as Jack and Bill becoming widely accepted on birth certificates. After a long decline, Bob has seen a modest resurgence since 2022, though it remains rare compared to its mid-century heyday. Its top states are not recorded in the data, suggesting the name is now too uncommon to show geographic concentration, but its historical association with American everyman culture endures.
Bob originated as a medieval diminutive of Robert, which itself derived from the Old High German Hrodebert. The name gained independent use in the 19th century and became a classic nickname-turned-standalone name.
Where Bob is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Bob” around the world
Where Bob lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bobby, Bobbie
Sibling names for Bob
Names that share Bob's style, for a brother or sister.
