Bobby is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Bobby means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Bobby across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Bobby has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Bobby is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “bright fame”. a pet form of Robert.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 324,728 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 16,836 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 644 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 741 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,061 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Bobby per year, United States (1900 to 2025). United States peaked in 1935 (7,971/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2012 (1,194/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2019 (215/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2015 (55/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2012 (38/yr).
Bobby has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1935, when it ranked #45 nationally (given to 7,971 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1930s.
Bobbie · Bob · Bobbi · Baby · Bobbye · Bobie · Bobbe · Boby
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →