boy's name
Robert
ROB-ert
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 5,375,844
the United States
#92
2025 births
Robert is a boy's name of Germanic origin meaning "bright fame," from hrod, fame, and beraht, bright. It arrived in England with the Normans and has been continuously used ever since, producing the nicknames Bob, Rob, Bobby and the Scottish Rabbie.
- Robert is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in 1947, when 91,892 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 878 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Robert over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 24,193 |
| 1890s | 26,319 |
| 1900s | 36,046 |
| 1910s | 240,237 |
| 1920s | 579,614 |
| 1930s | 593,546 |
| 1940s | 760,240 |
| 1950s | 832,594 |
| 1960s | 653,466 |
| 1970s | 399,853 |
| 1980s | 323,861 |
| 1990s | 205,996 |
| 2000s | 106,830 |
| 2010s | 62,712 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 24,342 |
What Robert means
Robert means bright fame or famous brilliance, joining two Germanic elements that both concern renown. The first, hrod, appears in Roger, Roland and Rodney; the second, beraht, is the ancestor of the English word bright.
Where Robert comes from
Robert comes from the Germanic Hrodebert, from hrod, fame, and beraht, bright — the latter being the same word as modern English bright. It was common among the Franks and reached England with the Norman Conquest, replacing a similar Old English name. Robert was borne by three kings of Scotland including Robert the Bruce, and by the dukes of Normandy. Its short form Bob arose from the medieval fashion for rhyming nicknames — Rob became Bob just as Rick became Dick and Will became Bill — a pattern that produced several of the most common English pet names from nothing more than a rhyme.
Robert in use
Bob comes from Rob by a medieval rhyming fashion, the same process that gave Dick from Rick and Bill from Will.
How popular is Robert?
In 2025, Robert was given to 3,777 babies in the United States, ranking #92 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Robert is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Robert
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Robert also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Robert over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
7 nicknames for Robert
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Robert in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Robert
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Robert — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Robert
What does the name Robert mean?
Robert means "bright fame," from the Germanic hrod, fame, and beraht, bright.
Why is Bob short for Robert?
From a medieval fashion for rhyming nicknames — Rob became Bob, as Rick became Dick.
Is Rupert related to Robert?
Yes. Rupert is the German form of the same name.
How popular is the name Robert?
In 2025, Robert was given to 3,777 babies in the United States, ranking #92 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Robert a girl's or a boy's name?
Robert is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Robert?
Robert has 2 syllables.
When was Robert most popular?
Robert peaked in 1947, when 91,892 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Robert?
Robert is usually shortened to Rob, Bob, Bobby, Bert, Bertie and Robby.
Is Robert a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Robert currently ranks #81 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.