Hobby
Derived from "hobby horse," a small toy horse, implying a pastime or diversion.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Hobby. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Hobby today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Hobby births was 1918 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Hobby. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Hobby. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1918
9 babies that year
Average age
-
1918 SSA rank
#2,975
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Hobby: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Hobby 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 Hobby during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 9 | 0 | 9 |
Geography
Where Hobbys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Hobby
The given name Hobby is a relatively modern name that does not have an extensive historical background or a clear cultural origin. It is believed to have emerged as a derivative or variation of the word "hobby," which refers to an activity or pursuit engaged in for pleasure or relaxation.
The word "hobby" itself can be traced back to the late 16th century, deriving from the Middle English word "hobyn," which meant a small horse or pony. Over time, the term came to be associated with a hobby horse, a child's toy, and eventually took on the meaning of a pastime or recreational activity.
While the name Hobby does not have any direct historical references or mentions in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that it was inspired by the concept of pursuing one's hobbies or interests with passion and dedication.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Hobby as a first name dates back to the late 19th century. Hobby Reed Carden (1875-1945), an American businessman and politician from Tennessee, was one of the first individuals to bear this name.
Throughout history, there have been a few notable individuals who carried the first name Hobby. Here are five examples:
1. Hobby Kindervater (1868-1947), an American artist and illustrator known for his work in the early 20th century.
2. Hobby Brandon (1942-2019), an American film and television actor best known for his roles in "Roots" and "Tremors."
3. Hobby Sutton (1913-1990), an American basketball player who played in the National Basketball League in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
4. Hobby Spruill (born 1934), an American jazz drummer and session musician who has performed with various notable artists.
5. Hobby Jones (1908-1988), an American baseball player who played in the Negro Leagues in the 1930s and 1940s.
While the name Hobby is not among the most common given names, it has been used sporadically throughout history, perhaps as a unique and distinctive choice for parents seeking a name that reflects their interests or hobbies.
People
Hobby + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Hobby as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Hobby: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Hobby?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Hobby 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 - US residents.
Is Hobby a common name?
We classify Hobby as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Hobby most popular?
The single biggest year for Hobby was 1918, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Hobby is about 0 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 Hobby in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Hobby a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Hobby 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 Hobby still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Hobby 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 Hobby 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 Americans are named Hobby?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.