unisex name
Robin
ROB-in
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 414,656
the United States
#704
2025 births
Robin is a name of Germanic origin meaning "bright fame." It began as a Norman French pet form of Robert and was male for centuries — the bird was named after the name, not the other way round.
- Robin is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1961, when 17,505 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 785 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1881.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Robin over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Robin is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. 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 | 22 |
| 1890s | 25 |
| 1900s | 56 |
| 1910s | 293 |
| 1920s | 783 |
| 1930s | 1,636 |
| 1940s | 9,854 |
| 1950s | 97,648 |
| 1960s | 129,175 |
| 1970s | 50,514 |
| 1980s | 26,526 |
| 1990s | 10,810 |
| 2000s | 3,808 |
| 2010s | 3,893 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,870 |
What Robin means
Robin means famous and bright, inherited from Robert. The bird sense is secondary and derived from the personal name, so the name does not mean the bird.
Where Robin comes from
Robin is the Norman French diminutive of Robert, from the Germanic Hrodebert — hrod, fame, and beraht, bright. It was a common male name in medieval England and belongs to Robin Hood in ballads from the fourteenth century. The bird acquired the name by familiarity: the redbreast was called robin redbreast the way a magpie is a mag and a jackdaw a jack, and the personal name was eventually dropped from the phrase. Robin became unisex in the twentieth century, with the spelling Robyn marking female use in Britain.
Robin in use
Our data records Robin for both sexes and marks it reviving, peaking in 1961, at 109 in England and Wales against 704 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1881. Robyn, the feminine respelling, sits at 76 in England and Wales — so the respelling now outranks the original.
How popular is Robin?
In 2025, Robin was given to 671 babies in England and Wales, ranking #109 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Robin is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Robin
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Robin also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Robin over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Robin
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.
Robin 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 Robin
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Robin — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Robin
What does the name Robin mean?
Robin means "bright fame," from the Germanic hrod, fame, and beraht, bright, by way of Robert.
Is Robin a boy's or a girl's name?
Both. It was male for centuries — Robin Hood — and became unisex in the twentieth century.
Is the bird named after the name?
Yes. The redbreast was called robin redbreast, the way a jackdaw is a jack, and the phrase was later shortened.
How popular is the name Robin?
In 2025, Robin was given to 671 babies in England and Wales, ranking #109 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
How many syllables are in Robin?
Robin has 2 syllables.
When was Robin most popular?
Robin peaked in 1961, when 17,505 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Robin?
Robin is usually shortened to Rob and Robbie.
Is Robin a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Robin currently ranks #57 in the United States. After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.