Holding steady.
Popularity of Bobette since 1915
Babies named Bobette per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 25 |
| 1920s | 127 |
| 1930s | 137 |
| 1940s | 297 |
| 1950s | 429 |
| 1960s | 346 |
| 1970s | 103 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Bobette is a distinctly mid-century American invention, a feminine diminutive crafted by adding the fashionable suffix -ette to Bob. Its first recorded use in Social Security data is 1915. The name achieved its highest popularity in the 1950s, peaking in 1953, a time when names ending in -ette were especially favored for girls. While Bobette has never appeared on the national top 1,000 chart, it represents a playful and affectionate choice that mirrors the naming trends of its era, particularly the 1950s. The trajectory of its usage has remained stable since then, with modest occasional use.
Bobette is a feminine diminutive of Bob, itself a pet form of Robert (from Germanic Hrodebert, meaning 'bright fame'). The suffix -ette, borrowed from French, creates a feminine or diminutive form, as in Juliette or Henriette. Bobette emerged as a given name in the early 20th century, peaking in the 1950s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bobby, Betsy, Ettie
Sibling names for Bobette
Names that share Bobette's style, for a brother or sister.
