Cobb
A masculine given name of uncertain origin, possibly related to an occupational term.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Cobb. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cobb today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cobb births was 1954 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cobb. 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 Cobb is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cobbs were born before 1970.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cobb. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1954
5 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1954 SSA rank
#3,922
Tracked since 1954
Popularity
Cobb: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Cobb 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 Cobb during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Cobb
The name Cobb is an English given name with roots in the Old English word "copp," which means "the top or summit of a hill or mountain." It is derived from the same root as the word "cop," meaning "top" or "summit." The name first gained popularity in England during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cobb can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landowners in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, including "Cobbe" and "Cob," indicating its widespread use at the time.
In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Cobb Milburn was a member of the Knights Templar, a Catholic military order during the Crusades. Milburn's name is recorded in various historical documents from that period, cementing the name's presence in medieval Europe.
During the Renaissance, Cobb Grantham, a renowned English poet and playwright, was born in 1551. He is best known for his work "The Tragical History of Sir John Oldcastle," which was later adapted by William Shakespeare in his play "Henry IV, Part 1."
In the 17th century, Cobb Saunders was a prominent figure in the English Civil War, serving as a captain in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. His bravery and leadership during the conflict are well-documented in historical accounts from that era.
Another notable bearer of the name was Cobb Shuter, an English actor and playwright born in 1742. He was a celebrated performer in London's theater scene and is remembered for his comedic roles in plays such as "The Way to Keep Him" and "The Lying Valet."
These are just a few examples of historical figures who carried the name Cobb, demonstrating its longstanding presence in the English-speaking world and its association with various fields, including literature, military, and the arts.
People
Cobb + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cobb as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cobb: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cobb?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cobb 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Cobb a common name?
We classify Cobb as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% 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 Cobb most popular?
The single biggest year for Cobb was 1954, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cobb is about 66 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Cobb in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cobb a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cobb 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.
Is Cobb still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cobb in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Cobb can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Cobb?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.