Bob
Probably from a medieval hypocorism of Rob.
Every Bob since 1880 — 93,308 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bob
Bob is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,845 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 93,308 American babies have been named Bob. Its peak came in 1959, when 2,834 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bob stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bob year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 7 | #9,845 |
| 2024 | — | — | 7 | #10,049 |
| 2023 | — | — | 9 | #8,345 |
| 2022 | — | — | 5 | #12,611 |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | 12 | #6,681 |
| 2019 | — | — | 14 | #6,142 |
| 2018 | — | — | 18 | #5,134 |
| 2017 | — | — | 18 | #5,129 |
| 2016 | — | — | 13 | #6,406 |
| 2015 | — | — | 14 | #6,041 |
| 2014 | — | — | 6 | #10,887 |
| 2013 | — | — | 19 | #4,820 |
| 2012 | — | — | 8 | #8,968 |
| 2011 | — | — | 14 | #5,980 |
| 2010 | — | — | 10 | #7,649 |
| 2009 | — | — | 22 | #4,444 |
| 2008 | — | — | 23 | #4,279 |
| 2007 | — | — | 8 | #9,020 |
| 2006 | — | — | 12 | #6,508 |
| 2005 | — | — | 24 | #3,826 |
| 2004 | — | — | 19 | #4,440 |
| 2003 | — | — | 9 | #7,307 |
| 2002 | — | — | 17 | #4,526 |
| 2001 | — | — | 19 | #4,141 |
| 2000 | — | — | 31 | #2,871 |
| 1995 | — | — | 30 | #2,516 |
| 1990 | — | — | 53 | #1,567 |
| 1985 | — | — | 73 | #1,083 |
| 1980 | — | — | 106 | #861 |
| 1975 | — | — | 167 | #625 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,102 | 406 | #399 |
| 1965 | — | — | 1,003 | #230 |
| 1960 | — | — | 2,719 | #131 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,274 | 799 | #248 |
| 1950 | — | — | 976 | #204 |
| 1945 | 5 | #4,620 | 2,176 | #107 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,433 | 2,082 | #99 |
| 1935 | 10 | #2,758 | 2,389 | #81 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,436 | 2,242 | #88 |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,501 | 1,369 | #129 |
| 1920 | — | — | 710 | #189 |
| 1915 | — | — | 296 | #292 |
| 1910 | — | — | 103 | #229 |
| 1905 | — | — | 58 | #259 |
| 1900 | — | — | 98 | #196 |
| 1895 | — | — | 54 | #243 |
| 1890 | — | — | 53 | #227 |
| 1885 | — | — | 52 | #227 |
| 1880 | — | — | 46 | #244 |
Famous people named Bob
- Bob Marley Musician · 1945–1981
- Bob Dylan Musician · b. 1941
- Bob Hoskins Actor · 1942–2014
- Bob Beamon Athlete · b. 1946
- Bob Kane Comic artist · 1915–1998
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bob mean?
Probably from a medieval hypocorism of Rob.
How popular is the name Bob in 2025?
Bob ranked #9,845 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bob?
93,308 babies have been named Bob in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bob most popular?
Bob peaked in 1959, when 2,834 newborns received the name.
Is Bob a boy or girl name?
Bob is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bob rising or falling?
Bob is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bob?
Well-known people named Bob include Bob Marley (musician), Bob Dylan (musician), Bob Hoskins (actor).