Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþi- "fame" and *berhta- "bright" (Hrōþiberhtaz). Compare Old Dutch Robrecht and Old High German Hrodebert. It is the second most frequently used given name of ancient Germanic origin. It is also in use as a surname. Another commonly used form of the name is Rupert.
- English
- French
- Swedish
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of Robert
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþi- "fame" and *berhta- "bright" (Hrōþiberhtaz). Compare Old Dutch Robrecht and Old High German Hrodebert. It is the second most frequently used given name of ancient Germanic origin. It is also in use as a surname. Another commonly used form of the name is Rupert.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- French
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- German
- Dutch
- Finnish
- Estonian
- Czech
- Polish
- Russian
- Slovene
- Croatian
- Albanian
- Romanian
- Catalan
- Germanic
- Hungarian
- Slovak
- Icelandic
The Story of Robert
Robert first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 2,415 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 91,654 Roberts were born — ranking #2 that year. As of 2026, Robert ranks #95 for baby boys with 3,598 births, falling sharply (-22%). In total, more than 4.9M Roberts have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Robert
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Robert. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Robert
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Robert II of Scotland (Robert Stewart) (1316–1390), one of the principal commanders at the Battle of Halidon Hill
- Robert III of Scotland (c. 1337/40–1406)
- Robert I of France (c.866–923)
- Robert II of France (972–1031)
- Robert, King of Naples (1276–1343)
- Robert of Germany (Rupertus, Rex Romanorum ) (1352–1410)
- Charles I Robert (1288–1342)
- Robert of Bulgaria , Tsar of the Kingdom of Bulgaria (1894–1943), one of the principal commanders of European theatre of World War II
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Where is Robert most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- Romania27%
- UG23%
- France22%
- RE19%
- United States9%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Robert
Phonetically similar names — useful when Robert is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Robert
What does the name Robert mean?
What is the origin of the name Robert?
How popular is Robert in 2026?
When was Robert most popular?
In which U.S. states is Robert most popular?
Is Robert a unisex name?
What names go well with Robert?
What are nicknames or variants of Robert?
About the name Robert
Robert is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4.9M births in the dataset. Robert's peak popularity came in 1947 when it ranked #1. Use the chart and map above to compare Robert's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1947 →
- Names of the 1940s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.