Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1959

Bob

Meaning Probably from a medieval hypocorism of Rob Gender Boy Rank 2025 #9,845

Probably from a medieval hypocorism of Rob.

Rank 2025
#9,845
among boys · ↑204 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Bob
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
2,834 babies
All-time total
93,308
#329 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Bob popularity over time

93,308 babies have been named Bob since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.751.52.25318801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 569 569 57 – #172
1890s – 548 548 55 -4% #214
1900s – 681 681 68 +24% #196
1910s 22 2,678 2,700 270 +296% #222
1920s 74 13,691 13,765 1,377 +410% #89
1930s 106 23,293 23,399 2,340 +70% #75
1940s 54 21,376 21,430 2,143 -8% #99
1950s 30 12,902 12,932 1,293 -40% #128
1960s 31 13,789 13,820 1,382 +7% #131
1970s 5 1,983 1,988 199 -86% #399
1980s – 751 751 75 -62% #861
1990s – 367 367 37 -51% #1,396
2000s – 184 184 18 -50% #2,871
2010s – 134 134 13 -27% #4,820
2020s (to 2025) – 40 40 7 -50% #6,681

The story of Bob

Bob is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,845 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 93,308 American babies have been named Bob. Its peak came in 1959, when 2,834 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bob stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Bob?

The median living Bob is about 68 years old; half are between 63 and 80. An estimated 39 thousand people named Bob are alive in the United States today.

median 68 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Bob year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 7 #9,845
2024 – – 7 #10,049
2023 – – 9 #8,345
2022 – – 5 #12,611
2021 – – – –
2020 – – 12 #6,681
2019 – – 14 #6,142
2018 – – 18 #5,134
2017 – – 18 #5,129
2016 – – 13 #6,406
2015 – – 14 #6,041
2014 – – 6 #10,887
2013 – – 19 #4,820
2012 – – 8 #8,968
2011 – – 14 #5,980
2010 – – 10 #7,649
2009 – – 22 #4,444
2008 – – 23 #4,279
2007 – – 8 #9,020
2006 – – 12 #6,508
2005 – – 24 #3,826
2004 – – 19 #4,440
2003 – – 9 #7,307
2002 – – 17 #4,526
2001 – – 19 #4,141
2000 – – 31 #2,871
1995 – – 30 #2,516
1990 – – 53 #1,567
1985 – – 73 #1,083
1980 – – 106 #861
1975 – – 167 #625
1970 5 #8,102 406 #399
1965 – – 1,003 #230
1960 – – 2,719 #131
1955 6 #5,274 799 #248
1950 – – 976 #204
1945 5 #4,620 2,176 #107
1940 5 #4,433 2,082 #99
1935 10 #2,758 2,389 #81
1930 13 #2,436 2,242 #88
1925 6 #4,501 1,369 #129
1920 – – 710 #189
1915 – – 296 #292
1910 – – 103 #229
1905 – – 58 #259
1900 – – 98 #196
1895 – – 54 #243
1890 – – 53 #227
1885 – – 52 #227
1880 – – 46 #244

Famous people named Bob

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Bob Dylan Bob Dylan American singer-songwriter (born 1941) Contemporary
  2. 2 Bob Marley Bob Marley Jamaican reggae musician (1945–1981) Contemporary
  3. 3 Bob Odenkirk Bob Odenkirk American actor and screenwriter (born 1962) Contemporary
  4. 4 Bob Ross Bob Ross American painter and TV host (1942–1995) Contemporary
  5. 5 Bob Saget Bob Saget American comedian and actor (1956–2022) Contemporary
  6. 6 Bob Iger Bob Iger American media executive (born 1951) Contemporary
  7. 7 Bob Newhart Bob Newhart American comedian and actor (1929–2024) Contemporary
  8. 8 Bob Seger Bob Seger American singer-songwriter (born 1945) Contemporary
  9. 9 Bob Geldof Bob Geldof Irish singer-songwriter and political activist (born 1951) Contemporary
  10. 10 Bob Fosse Bob Fosse American choreographer, dancer, and director (1927–1987) Contemporary
  11. 11 Bob Hoskins Bob Hoskins English actor (1942–2014) Contemporary
  12. 12 Bob Hope Bob Hope American entertainer (1903–2003) Contemporary
  13. 13 Bob Dole Politician, United States b. 1923 · Contemporary
  14. 14 Bob Woodward Bob Woodward American investigative journalist (born 1943) Contemporary
  15. 15 Bob Balaban Actor, United States b. 1945 · Contemporary
  16. 16 Bob Gunton Bob Gunton American film, television, and theatre actor (born 1945) Contemporary
  17. 17 Bob Cousy Bob Cousy American basketball player and coach (born 1928) Contemporary
  18. 18 Bob Peck Actor, United Kingdom 1945–1999 · Contemporary
  19. 19 Bob Paisley Bob Paisley English footballer and manager (1919–1996) Contemporary
  20. 20 Bob Kane Bob Kane American comic book artist (1915–1998) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Bob, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Bob?

The median living Bob is about 68 years old. Half of all living Bobs are between 63 and 80 years old.

How many people named Bob are alive today?

An estimated 39 thousand people named Bob are alive in the United States, based on 93,308 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Bob mean?

Probably from a medieval hypocorism of Rob.

How popular is the name Bob in 2025?

Bob ranked #9,845 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Bob?

93,308 babies have been named Bob in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Bob most popular?

Bob peaked in 1959, when 2,834 newborns received the name.

Is Bob a boy or girl name?

Bob is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Bob rising or falling?

Bob is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Bob?

Well-known people named Bob include Bob Dylan (musician), Bob Marley (musician), Bob Odenkirk (comedian).

Names like Bob

Names that sound and feel close to Bob: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Bob with similar names → More names starting with B →