Bobby

♀ Girl

Pronounced BOB-ee /ˈbɑb.i/High

Meaning: A pet form of Robert or Roberta, from the Germanic Hrodebert, 'bright fame' (hrod, 'fame', + beraht, 'bright'); more commonly a boy's name; here listed as a girl'sLow

In 30 seconds: Bright fame: Bobby is a short form of Robert/Roberta (more often a boy's). Warm and homespun (said 'BOB-ee'). We note the lean.

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Origin LowGermanic

MeaningA pet form of Robert or Roberta, from the Germanic Hrodebert, 'bright fame' (hrod, 'fame', + beraht, 'bright'); more commonly a boy's name; here listed as a girl's

U.S. rank (2025)#8448 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births12 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1930

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,675

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Bobby is a pet form of Robert or Roberta, from the Germanic Hrodebert, 'bright fame' (hrod, 'fame', + beraht, 'bright'); it is more commonly a boy's name (here listed as a girl's; we note the lean). A homespun name (said 'BOB-ee').

In the U.S. it appears rarely as a girl's name; it leans male. Rare here, bright-fame at the root, and homespun.

Did you know? Bobby is a pet form of Robert or Roberta, 'bright fame' from the Germanic Hrodebert — more commonly a boy's name — here listed as a girl's (we note the lean; said 'BOB-ee').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Bobby — Germanic; leans male; here F

Variations

BobbieRoberta

Nicknames

Bob

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Bobby…

Bobbie— a fellow spelling (often feminine)

Roberta— the feminine root name

Robbie— a kin Robert short form

Billie— a companion unisex -ie name

Explore names like Bobby

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Bobby mean?

Bobby is a pet form of Robert/Roberta, 'bright fame' from the Germanic Hrodebert; more commonly a boy's name.

How do you pronounce Bobby?

It's said BOB-ee /ˈbɑb.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Bobby a boy or girl name?

Bobby is listed here as a girl's name, though it is more often a boy's name (the feminine spelling is usually Bobbie).

How popular is Bobby?

Bobby is a rare name in the U.S. as a girl's name.