Bobby - is it too common?

[LoubyLou92]

Thoughts on the name Bobby for a boy? I like both spellings Bobby and Bobbie. Is it really common? I prefer less common names for girls but struggling to find a less common boy name.

Also - I do not like Robert so the name would be Bobby.

It's a cutesy nickname for a five year old but I can't imagine an adult called Bobby. And if he wants a serious name in the future, he'll have to shorten it to Bob.
Sorry.

OP you seem set on the name, so you should go for it.

I think it's cute.
I think Bobbie is for the girls spelling ?

I know three all ages 3 and under, all boys and all Bobby. I would assume Bobbie was a girl tbh. I have two DC under 5 and am seeing a lot of shortened names around (there was a Rue at baby class that wasn’t short for Rupert, he was actually just Rue). I don’t think a diminutive as a name would raise any eyebrows at all and if you like it, use it! I work in HR and wouldn’t refuse to shortlist someone because their name was Bobby. I personally like a full name and so would go for Robert but wouldn’t the world be boring if everyone had the same name choices.

For those saying that they wouldn’t recruit a Bobby and think that he wouldn’t be able to become a Doctor or a Judge, we will need these jobs in 20 years time and there won’t be an abundance of Roberts to do them. Name styles are changing and names that might be considered strange to you now won’t be strange in the recruitment market by then (within reason obviously).

Completley agree. I get that Bob was ONCE a diminutive of Robert (never understood why - isn’t Rob or Robbie closer?) but BOBBY is a now a stand alone name. I don’t see the old ties to Robert. It’s like saying that Nancy is still a nickname for Anne (how it originally started off) but no it has also became a stand alone, perfectly ok to use name.

And in regards to above comments, my daughter has a Bobby in her class and a couple more in above classes. All of them are indeed just Bobbys (sorry who would name their son Robert in 2025?!) I know their parents. And for the record, the school is in a very affluent area with many upper class children attending.

Bob or Bobby sound so clumsy and inelegant - I personally don’t like the sound at all.

Robert, nickname Rob, is much nicer.

Forgot about the Bob = Penis association. That would also put me off.

This. Bobby is fine, and I know one who is just Bobby. Bob is fine for an adult.

Bobbi or Bobbie will be assumed to be a girl.

"(sorry who would name their son Robert in 2025?!)"

I don't understand this comment? What's wrong with Robert?
I'm surprised you are using term 'upper class', are you yourself posh?

FYI Bobby is at 82 rank, with 600 babies being names Bobby, while Robert is at 151 rank at 300 babies being named Robert. This doesn't seem like Robert is so much unusual to Bobby.

I know you don't like it, but I would actually call him Robert.

If you call him Bobby, he is stuck with it. Bob is about the only nickname.

Robert = Bobby, Bob, Robbie, Rob, Bertie.

You don't like robert, but your son might prefer rob to bobby or bob when he's older.

Just something to think of.

Well it’s actually a private school - I just didn’t want to brag!

Wow.

I know 3 babies called Bobby, so I do think it's becoming more popular and quite trendy.
I'm older , so I would think of it as an older name "Bobby Kennedy" rather than "Bobby Brazier", but I think it's nice that old names are having a revival.
It's sweet.

I mean, you did ask what people think of the name, not just whether it's common.

For what it's worth I don't think it's very common but it lacks a bit of... I dunno, personality ? It just feels to me like a somewhat bland filler name.

I also can't abide nicknames instead of actual names (begone, Alfies, Albied and your ilk !) which obviously is down to personal taste, but to me it defeats the purpose of the shortening. The whole point of nicknames is to express familiarity and love with the bearer. If everyone use the nickname, it no longer means anything.

Also remember that you're not the only one who will call him by his name. He might not mind his mom calling him Bobby but might prefer his boss and colleagues use something more formal.

At the end of the day, will it ruin his life to be named Bobby ? Probably not, so if you love it why not. But there are probably easier names to bear as a full name out there.

Éveryone I know has an Uncle Bob.
I like Bob as a nick name.
I knew some Roberts, called Bobby, when we were children but all are now Bob, Rob or Robert.

Bobby seems childish to me and quite old fashioned.

The youngest Bobby (Robert) I know is 25 and is now Bob.
Maybe Bobby will become popular like Jimmy has done as a nick name for James.
Bobby is also a nick name for a British Police Officer, after Sir Robert Peel.
I would choose Robert due to the childishness of Bobby.
Or Bob.

Sorry Robert is an old fashioned ugly name, Bobby is fine, its not like she wanted to call him Tigerbread McMuffin or something stupid. Not all names have to be “traditional” or hoity-toity

Bobbie is the girl's spelling. I like the name for both girl or boy, I havent come across one recently.