Dobbie
Of English origin, a diminutive form of the name Robert, meaning "bright fame".
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Dobbie. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 68.8% of registrations being male. The average person named Dobbie today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dobbie births was 1960 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dobbie. 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 Dobbie is about 65 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dobbies were born before 1971.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dobbie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1960
6 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
1961 SSA rank
#4,219
Tracked since 1959
Gender
Gender distribution for Dobbie
Dobbie is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 16 total registrations, 11 (68.8%) were male and 5 (31.3%) were female.
Dobbie as a male name
- Ranked #4,219 in 1961
- 5 male births in 1961
- Peak: 1960 (6 births)
Dobbie as a female name
- Ranked #6,501 in 1959
- 5 female births in 1959
- Peak: 1959 (5 births)
Popularity
Dobbie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dobbie from the 1950s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 11 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dobbie 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 Dobbie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Dobbie
The given name Dobbie is believed to have its origins in the Old English language, derived from the word "dobbin," which was a term used to refer to a working horse or workhorse. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a person's occupation or relationship with horses, particularly in rural or agricultural communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dobbie can be traced back to the 13th century in England, where it was used as a nickname or diminutive form of the name Robert. During this period, it was common for names to undergo various transformations and adaptations, often reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences.
The name Dobbie does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or significant historical records. However, its connection to the working-class and agricultural roots of English society during the Middle Ages is evident.
One notable individual who carried the name Dobbie was John Dobbie (1778-1840), a Scottish nurseryman and botanist. He is remembered for his contributions to horticulture and for introducing several new plant varieties to the United Kingdom.
Another person of note was Sir James Dobbie (1852-1924), a Scottish industrialist and philanthropist. He founded the Dobbie & Co. textile manufacturing company and played a significant role in the development of the cotton industry in Scotland.
In the field of sports, William Dobbie (1876-1964) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward for various clubs, including Rangers and Manchester City, during the early 20th century.
Moving forward in time, Robert Dobbie (1903-1988) was a Canadian ice hockey player who competed in the 1928 Winter Olympics and won a gold medal as part of the Canadian national team.
Lastly, Gail Dobbie (born 1937) is a Canadian artist and sculptor known for her public art installations and works exploring themes of nature, environment, and indigenous cultures.
While these are just a few examples, the name Dobbie has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence and adaptability across different eras and contexts.
People
Dobbie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dobbie as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dobbie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dobbie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dobbie 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Dobbie a common name?
We classify Dobbie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dobbie most popular?
The single biggest year for Dobbie was 1960, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dobbie is about 65 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 Dobbie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dobbie a male name?
Yes, 68.8% of people registered as Dobbie 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 Dobbie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dobbie 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 Dobbie 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 called Dobbie?
You can see how many Americans are named Dobbie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.