boys' name · peaked 1963

Rob

A diminutive of the male given names Robert and Robin.

Every Rob since 1884 — 8,775 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex — comparable across eras
0.080.150.230.318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1964Boys
Rank 2025
#10,457
among boys
Babies in 2025
7
named Rob
Peak year
1963
555 babies
All-time total
8,775
since 1884

The story of Rob

Rob is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,457 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1884, 8,775 American babies have been named Rob. Its peak came in 1963, when 555 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.

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 Rob stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Rob year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 7 #10,457
2024 6 #12,060
2023 11 #7,645
2022 8 #9,657
2021 9 #8,694
2020 5 #13,650
2019 8 #9,572
2018 6 #11,857
2017 10 #8,013
2016 5 #13,787
2015
2014 14 #6,244
2013 7 #10,500
2012 8 #9,524
2011 13 #6,511
2010 14 #6,304
2009 12 #7,147
2008 10 #8,172
2007 17 #5,390
2006
2005 13 #6,149
2004 14 #5,736
2003 12 #6,178
2002 11 #6,433
2001 14 #5,346
2000 15 #4,998
1995 22 #3,168
1990 36 #2,076
1985 30 #1,959
1980 59 #1,200
1975 104 #817
1970 334 #450
1965 437 #370
1960 353 #428
1955 129 #651
1950 45 #1,060
1945 31 #1,200
1940 13 #2,064
1935 14 #2,009
1930 17 #1,878
1925 22 #1,666
1920 17 #2,035
1915 8 #3,018
1910
1905
1900
1895 6 #1,060
1890 6 #977
1885 6 #920
1880

Famous people named Rob

  1. Rob Roy MacGregor Politician · 1671–1734
  2. Rob Halford Singer · b. 1951
  3. Rob Reiner Actor · b. 1947
  4. Rob Schneider Actor · b. 1963
  5. Rob Cohen Film director · b. 1949

Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Rob mean?

A diminutive of the male given names Robert and Robin.

How popular is the name Rob in 2025?

Rob ranked #10,457 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 Rob?

8,775 babies have been named Rob in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Rob most popular?

Rob peaked in 1963, when 555 newborns received the name.

Is Rob a boy or girl name?

Rob is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Rob rising or falling?

Rob is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Rob?

Well-known people named Rob include Rob Roy MacGregor (politician), Rob Halford (singer), Rob Reiner (actor).

Names like Rob

Compare Rob with similar names →