Bobo
A silly or stupid person, often used as a nickname.
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Bobo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bobo today is around 100 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bobo births was 1935 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bobo. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Bobo is about 100 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Bobos were born before 1936.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bobo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1935
5 babies that year
Average age
100
years old
1935 SSA rank
#3,704
Tracked since 1880
Origin
Meaning and history of Bobo
The name Bobo is believed to have originated from the West African language of Akan, which is spoken in Ghana and other parts of West Africa. The name is thought to be derived from the word "bɔ," which means "to help" or "to assist." This suggests that the name Bobo may have been given to children with the hope that they would grow up to be helpful or supportive individuals.
In Akan culture, names carry significant meaning and are often chosen based on the circumstances surrounding a child's birth or the hopes and aspirations of the parents. The name Bobo may have been particularly popular among the Akan people, as it reflects the values of community, cooperation, and mutual assistance that are deeply ingrained in their culture.
While the exact origin of the name Bobo is not entirely clear, it is believed to have been in use for centuries among the Akan people. Some historical records and oral traditions may have mentioned individuals with this name, but specific references are difficult to trace due to the lack of written records from that time period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bobo can be found in the 18th century, when a man named Bobo Ahenkan was a prominent figure in the Ashanti Empire, which was a powerful West African kingdom located in present-day Ghana. Ahenkan was known for his military prowess and served as a respected advisor to several Ashanti kings.
Another notable figure with the name Bobo was Bobo Shanti, an influential Jamaican musician and pioneer of the reggae genre. Born in 1944, Shanti was a member of the Rastafarian movement and helped popularize the use of the name Bobo in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean.
In the world of sports, Bobo Brayton (1934-2001) was a professional American football player who played as a defensive back for the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Rams in the 1950s and 1960s.
Bobo Brazil (1924-1998), whose real name was Houston Harris, was an African American professional wrestler who gained fame during the mid-20th century. He was known for his charismatic persona and was one of the first black wrestlers to achieve mainstream success in the United States.
Finally, Bobo Olson (1928-2002), born Robert Olson, was an American boxer who competed as a middleweight and light heavyweight. He was a former world champion and is considered one of the greatest boxers from Minnesota.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Bobo, showcasing the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who carried this name of West African origin.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Bobo
People
Bobo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bobo 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
Bobo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bobo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bobo 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Bobo a common name?
We classify Bobo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bobo most popular?
The single biggest year for Bobo was 1935, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bobo is about 100 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Bobo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bobo in the SSA data are male. 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.