Dobby
A name possibly derived from Old English meaning "the free one."
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Dobby. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Dobby today is around 65 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dobby births was 1967 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dobby. 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 Dobby is about 65 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Dobbys were born before 1971.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Dobby. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1967
5 babies that year
Average age
65
years old
1967 SSA rank
#4,117
Tracked since 1967
Popularity
Dobby: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Dobby 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 Dobby during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Dobby
The name Dobby is believed to have originated from the Old English word "dobby," which means "humble" or "lowly." This name was particularly popular in rural areas of England during the Middle Ages.
In the 13th century, Dobby was occasionally used as a nickname for individuals who exhibited a humble or modest demeanor. The earliest recorded use of the name can be found in the Wessex Manorial Court Rolls from the year 1275, where a man named Dobby de Greenfeld is mentioned.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained some popularity among the lower classes and was often associated with servants or individuals of humble origins. In Shakespeare's play "The Merry Wives of Windsor," there is a character named Dobby who is a servant.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Dobby was Dobby Haagensen, a Danish peasant who lived in the late 15th century. He is remembered for his involvement in the Peasants' Revolt of 1484, where he advocated for better treatment of the lower classes.
In the 18th century, Dobby Hargreaves, an English weaver, is credited with inventing the spinning jenny, a significant development in the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.
Another notable figure with the name Dobby was Dobby Pearson, an English soldier who served in the Crimean War during the 1850s. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in battle.
In the early 20th century, Dobby Kinnard was a prominent American folk musician from the Appalachian region. He was known for his skill in playing the banjo and his contributions to preserving the traditional music of the area.
Dobby Pemberton, a British artist born in 1925, gained recognition for his watercolor paintings depicting rural landscapes and village scenes. His works often captured the humble beauty of everyday life.
While the name Dobby has faded in popularity in recent times, it remains a part of history, reflecting the values of humility and modesty that were once highly esteemed in various cultures.
People
Dobby + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dobby 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
Dobby: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dobby?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dobby 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 Dobby a common name?
We classify Dobby 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 Dobby most popular?
The single biggest year for Dobby was 1967, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dobby 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 Dobby in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dobby a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dobby 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 Dobby still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dobby 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 Dobby 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 Dobby?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.