Robert
From Anglo-Norman Robert, from the Old Frankish cognate of Old High German Hrodperht (normalised form: Ruodberht), from Proto-West Germanic *Hrōþiberht, from…
Every Robert since 1880 — 4,869,849 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Robert
Robert is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #92 in 2025 with 3,772 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 4,869,849 American babies have been named Robert. Its peak came in 1947, when 91,892 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Robert stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Robert 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 | 5 | #16,772 | 3,772 | #92 |
| 2024 | — | — | 3,806 | #90 |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,835 | 3,827 | #88 |
| 2022 | 6 | #14,954 | 4,082 | #84 |
| 2021 | — | — | 4,436 | #79 |
| 2020 | — | — | 4,402 | #80 |
| 2019 | 6 | #15,210 | 4,853 | #76 |
| 2018 | — | — | 5,191 | #71 |
| 2017 | — | — | 5,566 | #65 |
| 2016 | — | — | 6,010 | #62 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12,776 | 6,137 | #63 |
| 2014 | 8 | #12,837 | 6,660 | #60 |
| 2013 | 8 | #12,923 | 6,721 | #62 |
| 2012 | 7 | #14,678 | 6,963 | #60 |
| 2011 | 9 | #11,962 | 6,984 | #62 |
| 2010 | 12 | #9,682 | 7,569 | #54 |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,526 | 7,842 | #55 |
| 2008 | 7 | #15,074 | 8,841 | #49 |
| 2007 | 9 | #12,454 | 9,388 | #47 |
| 2006 | 11 | #10,463 | 9,911 | #47 |
| 2005 | 17 | #7,083 | 10,166 | #37 |
| 2004 | 35 | #4,071 | 10,684 | #36 |
| 2003 | 16 | #7,134 | 11,399 | #35 |
| 2002 | 14 | #7,744 | 12,031 | #34 |
| 2001 | 21 | #5,525 | 12,665 | #30 |
| 2000 | 23 | #5,118 | 13,739 | #29 |
| 1995 | 44 | #2,777 | 18,586 | #22 |
| 1990 | 109 | #1,442 | 28,886 | #13 |
| 1985 | 238 | #725 | 32,094 | #8 |
| 1980 | 254 | #683 | 34,266 | #9 |
| 1975 | 245 | #635 | 35,306 | #6 |
| 1970 | 327 | #562 | 57,177 | #5 |
| 1965 | 255 | #609 | 63,106 | #5 |
| 1960 | 268 | #613 | 72,357 | #5 |
| 1955 | 232 | #608 | 83,758 | #4 |
| 1950 | 203 | #594 | 83,553 | #2 |
| 1945 | 198 | #518 | 69,947 | #2 |
| 1940 | 206 | #467 | 61,198 | #2 |
| 1935 | 231 | #426 | 56,527 | #1 |
| 1930 | 426 | #320 | 62,153 | #1 |
| 1925 | 350 | #364 | 60,895 | #1 |
| 1920 | 205 | #476 | 48,679 | #3 |
| 1915 | 116 | #609 | 28,737 | #4 |
| 1910 | 29 | #809 | 5,609 | #4 |
| 1905 | 21 | #820 | 3,410 | #6 |
| 1900 | 24 | #756 | 3,821 | #6 |
| 1895 | 20 | #722 | 2,635 | #8 |
| 1890 | 12 | #818 | 2,541 | #8 |
| 1885 | 11 | #692 | 2,322 | #9 |
| 1880 | 12 | #515 | 2,415 | #10 |
Famous people named Robert
- Robert Schumann Composer · 1810–1856
- Robert De Niro Actor · b. 1943
- Robert Hooke Physicist · 1635–1703
- Robert Koch Physician · 1843–1910
- Robert Frost Writer · 1874–1963
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Robert mean?
From Anglo-Norman Robert, from the Old Frankish cognate of Old High German Hrodperht (normalised form: Ruodberht), from Proto-West Germanic *Hrōþiberht, from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþiberhtaz (literally “shining glory”).
How popular is the name Robert in 2025?
Robert ranked #92 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,772 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Robert?
4,869,849 babies have been named Robert in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Robert most popular?
Robert peaked in 1947, when 91,892 newborns received the name.
Is Robert a boy or girl name?
Robert is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Robert rising or falling?
Robert is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Robert?
Well-known people named Robert include Robert Schumann (composer), Robert De Niro (actor), Robert Hooke (physicist).