Bobi
Derived from a diminutive form of the Slavic name Robert.
Name Census estimates that about 522 living Americans carry the first name Bobi. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Bobi today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bobi births was 1979 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bobi. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
522
~ 1 in 656,618 Americans
Peak year
1979
32 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1996 SSA rank
#12,030
Tracked since 1942
Popularity
Bobi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bobi from the 1940s through to the 1990s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 195 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bobi by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bobi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Bobis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Bobi
The name Bobi is believed to have originated as a diminutive form of the Hebrew name Binyamin, which means "son of the right hand" or "son of the south." The name Binyamin is derived from the biblical figure Benjamin, one of the twelve sons of Jacob and the progenitor of one of the tribes of Israel.
In its diminutive form, Bobi was likely used as a nickname or shortened version of Binyamin, particularly among Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. The earliest recorded examples of the name Bobi can be found in various historical documents and records from the 18th and 19th centuries in this region.
One notable figure who bore the name Bobi was Bobi Yosef (1828-1903), a renowned Hasidic rabbi and spiritual leader from Galicia, Poland. He was known for his teachings and writings on Jewish mysticism and Torah interpretation.
Another historical figure with the name Bobi was Bobi Kvitko (1887-1952), a Yiddish actor and playwright from Ukraine. He was a prominent figure in the Yiddish theater scene and helped popularize Yiddish culture and literature during his lifetime.
In the realm of literature, Bobi Leser (1899-1944) was a Yiddish poet and writer from Poland. His works often explored themes of Jewish identity and the challenges faced by Jews in a rapidly changing world. Tragically, Leser perished in the Holocaust during World War II.
Moving to more modern times, Bobi Nagler (1929-2022) was a renowned Israeli painter and sculptor. Her artwork, which often depicted biblical and mythological themes, was widely celebrated and can be found in museums and collections around the world.
Finally, Bobi Stein (1944-2010) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the iconic clothing brand Tommy Hilfiger and was known for his charitable contributions to various educational and cultural institutions.
While the name Bobi may have its roots in Hebrew and Jewish culture, it has transcended its origins and can be found among people of various backgrounds and nationalities today. However, its historical significance and connection to the biblical name Binyamin remain an integral part of its legacy.
People
Bobi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bobi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bobi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bobi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 522 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bobi going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 656,618 US residents.
Is Bobi a common name?
We classify Bobi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 593 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bobi most popular?
The single biggest year for Bobi was 1979, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bobi is about 50 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Bobi a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bobi in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.