Fun Facts About the Name Robert
- A favorite across generations: Robert stayed in the U.S. top 100 every year from 1880 through 2025 - 146 consecutive years.
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 4,849,663 boys named Robert from 1880 through 2025.
- Still popular, but losing ground: Robert's rank fell 70 places between 1995 and 2025, while remaining in the top 100.
- More than 4 million babies named Robert: U.S. records list 4,869,784 babies given the name Robert from 1880 through 2025. Even 20,121 girls received the name Robert - about 1 girl for every 241 boys.
What Does the Name Robert Mean?
Robert means "bright fame" and comes from Germanic, specifically the Frankish language that fed into Old French. The name is a compound of two Germanic elements: *hrōþiz (fame, glory) and *berhtaz (bright, shining). Their union is literally "fame-bright" or "bright in fame," conventionally translated as "bright fame." It comes from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþiberhtaz, which developed into Frankish *Hrōdberht and then Old French Robert. The name is not originally English, though a native Old English cognate, Hroðbeorht, existed.
Robert Name History & Origins
The Germanic name passed into Old French as Robert, and the Normans brought that form to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Native Old English Hroðbeorht was a cognate, but it did not become the modern English name. In medieval England, Robert was common, and Latin documents often wrote it as Robertus. It was borne by Norman and English nobles, including Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror, and by Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. On the continent, the same Germanic root produced Old High German Hruodperht (later Ruprecht) and Old Norse Hróðbjartr. English speakers later formed the short forms Rob, Bob, Robbie, and Bert; Bob developed as a rhyming nickname for Rob. Several saints have borne the name, including Saint Robert Bellarmine (1542 - 1621).
How Popular is the Name Robert?
Robert has maintained century-spanning popularity, remaining an unbroken fixture in the U.S. top 100 continuously from 1880 to 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #16,772 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #14,818 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #14,942 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #15,203 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #12,774 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #12,836 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #12,923 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #14,678 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #11,962 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #9,679 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #10,526 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #15,073 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #12,453 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #10,461 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #7,083 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #4,071 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2003 | #7,133 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #7,743 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #5,525 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2000 | #5,118 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1999 | #4,697 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1998 | #4,113 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1997 | #3,285 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1996 | #3,216 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1995 | #2,777 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 1994 | #2,452 | 52 | 0.0029% |
| 1993 | #2,005 | 70 | 0.0039% |
| 1992 | #2,232 | 60 | 0.0033% |
| 1991 | #1,850 | 77 | 0.0041% |
| 1990 | #1,442 | 109 | 0.0057% |
| 1989 | #1,256 | 126 | 0.0068% |
| 1988 | #932 | 182 | 0.0102% |
| 1987 | #801 | 219 | 0.0126% |
| 1986 | #738 | 241 | 0.0140% |
| 1985 | #725 | 238 | 0.0138% |
| 1984 | #719 | 230 | 0.0137% |
| 1983 | #671 | 255 | 0.0153% |
| 1982 | #732 | 233 | 0.0138% |
| 1981 | #727 | 228 | 0.0137% |
| 1980 | #684 | 254 | 0.0153% |
| 1979 | #681 | 252 | 0.0157% |
| 1978 | #642 | 254 | 0.0166% |
| 1977 | #666 | 238 | 0.0155% |
| 1976 | #654 | 236 | 0.0161% |
| 1975 | #635 | 245 | 0.0168% |
| 1974 | #636 | 241 | 0.0164% |
| 1973 | #620 | 249 | 0.0171% |
| 1972 | #574 | 288 | 0.0189% |
| 1971 | #586 | 298 | 0.0179% |
| 1970 | #562 | 327 | 0.0187% |
| 1969 | #538 | 335 | 0.0199% |
| 1968 | #591 | 265 | 0.0162% |
| 1967 | #599 | 254 | 0.0154% |
| 1966 | #597 | 251 | 0.0148% |
| 1965 | #609 | 255 | 0.0144% |
| 1964 | #594 | 279 | 0.0147% |
| 1963 | #634 | 255 | 0.0132% |
| 1962 | #681 | 229 | 0.0116% |
| 1961 | #592 | 289 | 0.0143% |
| 1960 | #610 | 269 | 0.0133% |
| 1959 | #653 | 236 | 0.0117% |
| 1958 | #640 | 237 | 0.0118% |
| 1957 | #615 | 255 | 0.0125% |
| 1956 | #658 | 214 | 0.0107% |
| 1955 | #608 | 232 | 0.0119% |
| 1954 | #672 | 192 | 0.0099% |
| 1953 | #589 | 228 | 0.0121% |
| 1952 | #641 | 193 | 0.0104% |
| 1951 | #595 | 210 | 0.0117% |
| 1950 | #594 | 203 | 0.0119% |
| 1949 | #584 | 202 | 0.0118% |
| 1948 | #581 | 209 | 0.0123% |
| 1947 | #551 | 237 | 0.0134% |
| 1946 | #542 | 214 | 0.0136% |
| 1945 | #518 | 198 | 0.0151% |
| 1944 | #519 | 194 | 0.0146% |
| 1943 | #469 | 250 | 0.0179% |
| 1942 | #515 | 208 | 0.0154% |
| 1941 | #498 | 196 | 0.0162% |
| 1940 | #467 | 206 | 0.0180% |
| 1939 | #465 | 208 | 0.0190% |
| 1938 | #455 | 219 | 0.0198% |
| 1937 | #441 | 223 | 0.0210% |
| 1936 | #433 | 221 | 0.0212% |
| 1935 | #426 | 231 | 0.0220% |
| 1934 | #398 | 266 | 0.0255% |
| 1933 | #391 | 273 | 0.0271% |
| 1932 | #353 | 326 | 0.0305% |
| 1931 | #345 | 343 | 0.0322% |
| 1930 | #320 | 426 | 0.0378% |
| 1929 | #314 | 441 | 0.0395% |
| 1928 | #315 | 434 | 0.0376% |
| 1927 | #332 | 411 | 0.0345% |
| 1926 | #349 | 369 | 0.0311% |
| 1925 | #364 | 350 | 0.0288% |
| 1924 | #398 | 299 | 0.0239% |
| 1923 | #425 | 250 | 0.0207% |
| 1922 | #439 | 237 | 0.0197% |
| 1921 | #439 | 244 | 0.0198% |
| 1920 | #476 | 205 | 0.0171% |
| 1919 | #496 | 184 | 0.0163% |
| 1918 | #519 | 178 | 0.0154% |
| 1917 | #515 | 168 | 0.0155% |
| 1916 | #614 | 122 | 0.0117% |
| 1915 | #609 | 116 | 0.0118% |
| 1914 | #649 | 80 | 0.0105% |
| 1913 | #614 | 72 | 0.0115% |
| 1912 | #619 | 64 | 0.0115% |
| 1911 | #702 | 39 | 0.0093% |
| 1910 | #809 | 29 | 0.0073% |
| 1909 | #828 | 25 | 0.0072% |
| 1908 | #765 | 26 | 0.0078% |
| 1907 | #812 | 22 | 0.0069% |
| 1906 | #953 | 16 | 0.0054% |
| 1905 | #820 | 21 | 0.0072% |
| 1904 | #1,043 | 13 | 0.0047% |
| 1903 | #1,019 | 13 | 0.0050% |
| 1902 | #770 | 21 | 0.0080% |
| 1901 | #850 | 16 | 0.0067% |
| 1900 | #756 | 24 | 0.0080% |
| 1899 | #784 | 18 | 0.0077% |
| 1898 | #1,040 | 12 | 0.0046% |
| 1897 | #759 | 18 | 0.0077% |
| 1896 | #592 | 28 | 0.0118% |
| 1895 | #722 | 20 | 0.0086% |
| 1894 | #660 | 21 | 0.0094% |
| 1893 | #734 | 17 | 0.0080% |
| 1892 | #720 | 17 | 0.0080% |
| 1891 | #993 | 9 | 0.0049% |
| 1890 | #818 | 12 | 0.0063% |
| 1889 | #714 | 14 | 0.0078% |
| 1888 | #591 | 19 | 0.0106% |
| 1887 | #928 | 8 | 0.0055% |
| 1886 | #568 | 16 | 0.0111% |
| 1885 | #692 | 11 | 0.0083% |
| 1884 | #911 | 7 | 0.0054% |
| 1883 | #608 | 11 | 0.0098% |
| 1882 | #557 | 12 | 0.0111% |
| 1881 | #618 | 9 | 0.0098% |
| 1880 | #515 | 12 | 0.0132% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #92 | 3,772 | 0.2208% |
| 2024 | #90 | 3,785 | 0.2207% |
| 2023 | #89 | 3,823 | 0.2238% |
| 2022 | #84 | 4,078 | 0.2338% |
| 2021 | #79 | 4,430 | 0.2534% |
| 2020 | #80 | 4,401 | 0.2551% |
| 2019 | #76 | 4,851 | 0.2705% |
| 2018 | #71 | 5,191 | 0.2859% |
| 2017 | #65 | 5,566 | 0.3008% |
| 2016 | #62 | 6,005 | 0.3165% |
| 2015 | #63 | 6,132 | 0.3200% |
| 2014 | #60 | 6,660 | 0.3468% |
| 2013 | #62 | 6,721 | 0.3554% |
| 2012 | #60 | 6,963 | 0.3671% |
| 2011 | #62 | 6,984 | 0.3678% |
| 2010 | #54 | 7,564 | 0.3943% |
| 2009 | #55 | 7,838 | 0.3952% |
| 2008 | #49 | 8,840 | 0.4333% |
| 2007 | #47 | 9,388 | 0.4524% |
| 2006 | #47 | 9,911 | 0.4823% |
| 2005 | #37 | 10,166 | 0.5090% |
| 2004 | #36 | 10,681 | 0.5381% |
| 2003 | #35 | 11,399 | 0.5771% |
| 2002 | #34 | 12,031 | 0.6197% |
| 2001 | #30 | 12,665 | 0.6519% |
| 2000 | #29 | 13,739 | 0.6996% |
| 1999 | #26 | 14,540 | 0.7573% |
| 1998 | #23 | 15,527 | 0.8124% |
| 1997 | #23 | 16,303 | 0.8648% |
| 1996 | #23 | 17,676 | 0.9331% |
| 1995 | #22 | 18,586 | 0.9763% |
| 1994 | #21 | 20,559 | 1.0642% |
| 1993 | #17 | 22,447 | 1.1445% |
| 1992 | #17 | 24,095 | 1.2063% |
| 1991 | #13 | 26,836 | 1.3283% |
| 1990 | #13 | 28,885 | 1.4063% |
| 1989 | #10 | 30,073 | 1.5030% |
| 1988 | #10 | 30,317 | 1.5838% |
| 1987 | #10 | 30,240 | 1.6197% |
| 1986 | #9 | 31,351 | 1.7024% |
| 1985 | #8 | 32,095 | 1.7365% |
| 1984 | #9 | 31,772 | 1.7603% |
| 1983 | #10 | 32,744 | 1.8265% |
| 1982 | #9 | 34,414 | 1.8965% |
| 1981 | #9 | 34,397 | 1.9202% |
| 1980 | #9 | 34,269 | 1.9208% |
| 1979 | #8 | 34,018 | 1.9759% |
| 1978 | #8 | 33,379 | 2.0329% |
| 1977 | #6 | 34,217 | 2.0822% |
| 1976 | #7 | 33,791 | 2.1534% |
| 1975 | #6 | 35,308 | 2.2612% |
| 1974 | #7 | 37,009 | 2.3536% |
| 1973 | #7 | 38,698 | 2.4828% |
| 1972 | #6 | 43,015 | 2.6524% |
| 1971 | #5 | 50,635 | 2.8631% |
| 1970 | #5 | 57,179 | 3.0769% |
| 1969 | #5 | 58,303 | 3.2602% |
| 1968 | #5 | 58,186 | 3.3478% |
| 1967 | #5 | 56,371 | 3.2325% |
| 1966 | #5 | 59,309 | 3.3255% |
| 1965 | #5 | 63,112 | 3.3926% |
| 1964 | #5 | 69,983 | 3.5119% |
| 1963 | #5 | 69,997 | 3.4467% |
| 1962 | #5 | 70,201 | 3.3934% |
| 1961 | #5 | 72,963 | 3.4353% |
| 1960 | #5 | 72,344 | 3.3934% |
| 1959 | #5 | 74,542 | 3.4922% |
| 1958 | #4 | 77,334 | 3.6439% |
| 1957 | #4 | 81,776 | 3.7907% |
| 1956 | #3 | 83,912 | 3.9669% |
| 1955 | #4 | 83,755 | 4.0662% |
| 1954 | #2 | 86,333 | 4.2345% |
| 1953 | #1 | 86,245 | 4.3728% |
| 1952 | #2 | 86,588 | 4.4549% |
| 1951 | #2 | 86,355 | 4.5864% |
| 1950 | #2 | 83,551 | 4.6669% |
| 1949 | #2 | 83,876 | 4.7283% |
| 1948 | #2 | 85,475 | 4.8714% |
| 1947 | #2 | 91,654 | 5.0096% |
| 1946 | #2 | 84,138 | 5.1809% |
| 1945 | #2 | 69,945 | 5.1972% |
| 1944 | #2 | 70,855 | 5.1990% |
| 1943 | #2 | 74,890 | 5.2471% |
| 1942 | #2 | 71,841 | 5.2016% |
| 1941 | #2 | 64,247 | 5.2306% |
| 1940 | #2 | 61,194 | 5.2791% |
| 1939 | #1 | 59,659 | 5.3901% |
| 1938 | #1 | 62,270 | 5.6142% |
| 1937 | #1 | 61,842 | 5.7979% |
| 1936 | #1 | 58,501 | 5.6403% |
| 1935 | #1 | 56,525 | 5.4282% |
| 1934 | #1 | 55,843 | 5.4080% |
| 1933 | #1 | 54,219 | 5.4683% |
| 1932 | #1 | 59,268 | 5.6762% |
| 1931 | #1 | 60,520 | 5.8211% |
| 1930 | #1 | 62,152 | 5.6637% |
| 1929 | #1 | 59,808 | 5.5604% |
| 1928 | #1 | 60,701 | 5.4803% |
| 1927 | #1 | 61,674 | 5.4728% |
| 1926 | #1 | 61,130 | 5.5047% |
| 1925 | #1 | 60,896 | 5.4570% |
| 1924 | #1 | 60,799 | 5.3674% |
| 1923 | #2 | 56,113 | 5.1193% |
| 1922 | #2 | 53,796 | 4.9438% |
| 1921 | #2 | 52,779 | 4.7918% |
| 1920 | #3 | 48,679 | 4.5736% |
| 1919 | #4 | 41,025 | 4.1857% |
| 1918 | #4 | 40,619 | 4.0079% |
| 1917 | #4 | 35,220 | 3.8056% |
| 1916 | #4 | 31,741 | 3.5661% |
| 1915 | #4 | 28,737 | 3.3865% |
| 1914 | #4 | 21,188 | 3.2360% |
| 1913 | #4 | 15,684 | 3.0599% |
| 1912 | #4 | 12,836 | 2.9855% |
| 1911 | #5 | 6,526 | 2.8880% |
| 1910 | #4 | 5,609 | 2.8881% |
| 1909 | #5 | 4,563 | 2.7824% |
| 1908 | #5 | 4,219 | 2.7336% |
| 1907 | #5 | 4,020 | 2.7379% |
| 1906 | #5 | 3,635 | 2.7299% |
| 1905 | #6 | 3,410 | 2.5774% |
| 1904 | #5 | 3,414 | 2.6646% |
| 1903 | #7 | 3,044 | 2.5530% |
| 1902 | #6 | 3,180 | 2.5925% |
| 1901 | #7 | 2,543 | 2.3885% |
| 1900 | #6 | 3,821 | 2.5393% |
| 1899 | #7 | 2,609 | 2.4564% |
| 1898 | #7 | 2,932 | 2.3899% |
| 1897 | #8 | 2,701 | 2.3954% |
| 1896 | #8 | 2,719 | 2.2741% |
| 1895 | #8 | 2,635 | 2.2446% |
| 1894 | #8 | 2,497 | 2.1569% |
| 1893 | #8 | 2,563 | 2.2819% |
| 1892 | #8 | 2,710 | 2.2207% |
| 1891 | #8 | 2,240 | 2.2136% |
| 1890 | #8 | 2,541 | 2.2887% |
| 1889 | #9 | 2,513 | 2.2726% |
| 1888 | #8 | 2,814 | 2.3285% |
| 1887 | #11 | 2,125 | 2.0954% |
| 1886 | #8 | 2,443 | 2.2052% |
| 1885 | #9 | 2,322 | 2.1540% |
| 1884 | #10 | 2,468 | 2.1566% |
| 1883 | #9 | 2,334 | 2.2308% |
| 1882 | #10 | 2,500 | 2.1990% |
| 1881 | #11 | 2,140 | 2.1244% |
| 1880 | #10 | 2,415 | 2.1857% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
