Bobby

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Bobby: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Bobby: Recorded since 1980, it reached #27 in 2020, and it was still inside the top 100 in 2025.

4registrars recorded it
123times a registrar ranked it
46years from first to last
#27highest recorded position
21groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Bobby's record

England and Wales registered 1,186 births with the name in 2012, its largest count from any one registrar. Names by yearly birth count
Held at least one birth in every 2,000 for 20 years. Names by sustained share

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#2683
1997	#1543
1998	#3142
1999	#3225
2000	#1995
2001	#2023
2002	#1530
2003	#2727
2004	#4598
2005	#3382
2006	#3548
2007	#4294
2008	#3860
2009	#5556
2010	#4688
2011	#4764
2012	#2969
2015	#4736
2016	#5785
2017	#4063
2018	#3178
2019	#3151
2020	#3447
2021	#3961
2022	#3148
2023	#3598
2024	#3015

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 41 of the 46 years from 1980 to 2025.

In 2024: #28 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #78 among boys in Northern Ireland, #82 among boys in England and Wales, #246 among boys in Scotland.

Official data from 4 national registrars across 4 regions, 1980–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1980
First recorded at #321 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1980 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1980–2025
Highest recorded position: #27 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2020 (recorded 1980–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #30 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys

Bobby appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, which has ranked it in 41 years beginning in 1980, and has registered 3,061 births with the name.

Bobby across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Bobby's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#321 (1980)	#27 (2020)	#30 (2025)	41 of 46	3,061 (1980–2025)	215 (2019)
England and Wales · Boys	#238 (1996)	#57 (2012)	#82 (2024)	29 of 29	16,904 (1996–2024)	1,186 (2012)
England and Wales · Girls	#2683 (1996)	#1530 (2002)	#3015 (2024)	27 of 29	157 (1996–2024)	12 (2002)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#272 (1998)	#59 (2013)	#78 (2024)	25 of 27	741 (1998–2024)	55 (2015)

Bobby by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Bobby in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1980s	28	6 of 10	5
1990s	40	9 of 10	4
2000s	405	10 of 10	41
2010s	1,563	10 of 10	156
2020sbusiest	1,025	6 of 10	171

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 2020s were its busiest decade — the 6 years of it this list covers, averaging 171 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 2018 and 2019, when recorded births rose by 50, from 165 to 215.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Bobby appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1980 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #27 in Republic of Ireland in 2020.

Bobby's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#3015	8	High	Verified
2024	England and Wales	male	#82	652	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#3598	6	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#93	570	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#3148	7	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#80	712	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#3961	5	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#73	772	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#3447	6	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#70	790	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#3151	7	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#68	903	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#3178	7	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#73	872	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#4063	5	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#65	955	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#5785	3	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#90	775	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#4736	4	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#67	983	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#71	922	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#59	1,049	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#2969	8	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#57	1,186	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#4764	4	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#76	869	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#4688	4	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#83	773	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#5556	3	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#104	615	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#3860	5	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#110	533	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#4294	4	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#112	513	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#3548	5	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#113	502	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#3382	5	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#112	497	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#4598	3	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#103	539	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#2727	6	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#200	189	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#1530	12	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#294	94	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#2023	8	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#277	99	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#1995	8	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#273	99	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#3225	4	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#282	97	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#3142	4	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#262	108	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#1543	11	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#259	110	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#2683	5	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#238	126	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#78	30	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#67	36	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#82	33	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#92	31	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#75	39	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#67	47	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#80	36	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#62	50	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#78	43	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#61	55	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#65	46	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#59	53	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#62	54	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#124	23	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#109	29	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#114	25	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#129	22	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#115	27	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#152	15	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#149	14	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#164	12	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#193	8	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#243	4	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#207	6	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#272	3	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#30	155	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#28	179	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#28	157	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#31	170	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#34	179	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#27	185	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#29	215	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#43	165	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#48	161	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#47	165	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#50	158	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#54	152	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#59	146	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#63	141	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#63	133	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#62	127	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#85	96	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#109	72	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#108	66	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#122	48	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#104	55	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#146	30	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#184	17	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#235	10	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#251	8	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#390	3	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	male	#290	5	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	male	#369	3	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	male	#261	7	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#336	4	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	male	#301	4	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	male	#263	5	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	male	#255	6	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	male	#324	3	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	male	#323	3	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	male	#271	4	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	male	#249	5	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	male	#247	6	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	male	#234	6	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	male	#282	4	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	male	#321	3	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#246	16	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 4 registrars between 1980 and 2025, ranked in 41 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #27, first reached in 2020.

It held a top-100 place in 17 years, 17 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 1,186 births, registered in England and Wales in 2012.

1 registrar publishes it in more than one category list, holding a place in each for at least five years — an observation about those lists rather than about the name.

Its record falls into 5 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 2 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 44 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Bobbi · #291, 30y
Bobbie · #238, 30y
Bobby-George · #3362, 10y
Bobby-Joe · #1683, 22y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 4 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Caolan · #28, 41y
Rian · #22, 36y
Rhonda · #21, 37y
Shay · #39, 39y

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1980 and 1989.

Kimberley · #27, 44y
Caolan · #28, 41y
Louie · #28, 32y
Layla · #24, 35y

Bobby was ranked #27 in Republic of Ireland · Boys in 2020. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Bobby and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Bobby without appearing here.

Bobby moved ahead of

Lene Compare
In 2011 they stood at #4688 and #4688 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #2969 and #5876.
Lynette Compare
In 2011 they stood at #5556 and #4564 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2012 that had become #2969 and #5876.
Geraldine Compare
In 2017 they stood at #5785 and #5785 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #3178 and #5666.
Jayden Compare
In 2017 they stood at #4764 and #3549 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #3178 and #5666.

Moved ahead of Bobby

Blake Compare
In 2008 they stood at #4294 and #5201 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2009 that had become #5556 and #3936.
Ezra Compare
In 2010 they stood at #4688 and #5707 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2011 that had become #4764 and #3185.
Rory Compare
In 2019 they stood at #3151 and #4001 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #3447 and #1939.
Harper Compare
In 2003 they stood at #2727 and #4373 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2004 that had become #4598 and #3725.

Moved the opposite way to Bobby

Adrian Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 while Adrian went from #60 to #348.
Denis Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 while Denis went from #58 to #232.
Erik Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 while Erik went from #288 to #468.
Frank Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 while Frank went from #191 to #286.

Moved the same way as Bobby

Adam Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 and Adam from #101 to #20.
Alex Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 and Alex from #288 to #37.
Alexander Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 and Alexander from #135 to #55.
Ben Compare
Between 1980 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Bobby went from #321 to #30 and Ben from #288 to #40.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 4 regions, from 1980 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #27 in Republic of Ireland in 2020. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Bobby

Bobby at a glance

What stands out in Bobby's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Bobby across 4 official records

Bobby by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Bobby appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Names published alongside Bobby

Bobby and the names beside it

Bobby moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Bobby

Moved the opposite way to Bobby

Moved the same way as Bobby

Bobby at a glance

What stands out in Bobby's record

Bobby across 4 official records

Bobby by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Bobby appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1980s

Names published alongside Bobby

Bobby and the names beside it

Bobby moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Bobby

Moved the opposite way to Bobby

Moved the same way as Bobby