Hobbs

♂ Boy

Pronounced HABZ /ˈhɑbz/High

Meaning: An English surname from Hob, a medieval rhyming pet form of Robert (Germanic hrod 'fame' plus beraht 'bright'), with the -s meaning 'son of'. Used here as a modern surname-style first name.Medium

In 30 seconds: A one-beat surname name with a plainspoken snap: Hobbs traces back to Hob, an old nickname for Robert (said 'HABZ').

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningAn English surname from Hob, a medieval rhyming pet form of Robert (Germanic hrod 'fame' plus beraht 'bright'), with the -s meaning 'son of'. Used here as a modern surname-style first name.

U.S. rank (2017)#12982 ↘ Falling

2017 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2015

Total births (all-time)≈ 24

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

Hobbs is an English surname built on Hob, a medieval rhyming pet form of Robert ('bright fame'), with -s for 'son of'. It travels today as a crisp surname-style first name, in the same family as Brooks and Hayes (said 'HABZ').

It appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, one-beat, and sturdy.

Did you know? Hob was the medieval English rhyming nickname for Robert — the same habit that gave us Bob and Dob — so Hobbs literally reads as 'Robert's son' (said 'HABZ').

Overall data confidence 62%

References — Hobbs — English surname from Hob, pet form of Robert

Variations

HobbesHobsonHobb

Nicknames

HobHobby

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hobbs…

Brooks— a like one-beat surname pick

Hayes— a same-style English surname name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Hobbs mean?

Hobbs is an English surname meaning 'son of Hob', Hob being a medieval pet form of Robert ('bright fame').

How do you pronounce Hobbs?

It's said HABZ /ˈhɑbz/ — one syllable.

Is Hobbs a boy or girl name?

Hobbs is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Hobbs?

Hobbs is extremely rare for boys in the U.S., a newly emerging surname-style pick.