Bob
Meaning: Its source is Hreodbeorht, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Shining with fame."
Languages: This boy's name is used in Dutch and English.
Nickname For: Robert
Popularity: The name Bob ranked 266th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Narrative: When the Norman French stormed the shores of England in 1066, many Roberts were numbered among them. The defending Anglo-Saxon army no doubt contained some who were known by that French name's Germanic source, Hreodboerht. The Normans were victors on the field, and the Germanic name likewise gave way to the French.
In fact, Robert became such a popular name that many nicknames evolved to help distinguish all those Roberts. Two of these survive only in modern surnames: Hob gave us Hobson, Hopkins and Hobbs, while Dob was the source of Dobson. Nob was another nickname for Robert, now completely out of use.
Arts and Music
- Bob Dylan (born 1941)
American musician, singer and songwriter. Original name: Robert Allan Zimmerman.
- Performed on ''''We Are the World'''' (see list of Performers on ''We Are the World'')
- Member of the Playboy Music Hall of Fame (see list of Playboy Music Hall of Fame)
- Wrote ''''Like a Rolling Stone'''' and ''''Mr. Tambourine Man'''' (see list of Songwriters)
- Musical guest on ''''Saturday Night Live'''' (see list of Musical Guests on ''Saturday Night Live'')
- Bob Ferguson
- Winner of the 1969 Country Music Association Song of the Year award, for ''''Carroll County Accident'''' (see list of Country Music Association Award Winners)
- Bob Geldof (born 1954)
Rock singer and famine-relief organizer.
- Performed on ''''We Are the World'''' (see list of Performers on ''We Are the World'')
- Bob Hile (born 1949)
American singer and musician.
- Performer with Canned Heat at Woodstock (see list of Performers at Woodstock)
- Bob Kane (born 1916)
American cartoonist.
- Batman (see list of Cartoonists)
- Bob Marley (born 1945, died 1981)
Jamaican reggae musician, songwriter and singer.
- Wrote ''''I Shot the Sheriff'''' and ''''No Woman, No Cry'''' (see list of Songwriters)
- Bob Montana (born 1920, died 1975)
American cartoonist.
- Archie (see list of Cartoonists)
- Bob Seger (born 1945)
American singer and songwriter.
- Wrote ''''Night Moves'''' (see list of Songwriters)
- Bob Smith
- Wolfman Jack (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
- Bob Thaves (born 1924)
American cartoonist.
- Frank and Ernest (see list of Cartoonists)
- Bob Weir (born 1949)
American singer and musician.
- Performer with The Grateful Dead at Woodstock (see list of Performers at Woodstock)
- Bob Wills (born 1905, died 1975)
American singer and bandleader, he blended country and swing.
- Country Music Hall of Fame (see list of Country Music Hall of Fame)
Leadership
- Bob Dylan (born 1941)
American musician, singer and songwriter. Original name: Robert Allan Zimmerman.
- American folk musician (see list of Twenty pioneers of human expression who enlightened and enlivened the people of the 20th century)
- Bob G. Gower
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Lyondell Petrochemical (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
Miscellaneous
- Bob
- Hurricane or tropical storm (see list of Hurricane and Tropical Storm Names)
- Robert Joseph ''Bob'' Dole (born 1923)
American politician. Senate majority leader who resigned his seat to run for the presidency in 1996.
- 1997 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Bob Dylan (born 1941)
American musician, singer and songwriter. Original name: Robert Allan Zimmerman.
- On the cover of Sgt. Pepper''s Lonely Hearts Club Band (see list of Faces on the Cover of ''Sergeant Pepper'')
- Bob Edwards
American public radio host.
- Host of ''''Morning Edition'''' (see list of National Public Radio Hosts)
- Bob Hope (born 1903)
English-born American comedian and actor.
- 1969 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Bob Mackie
- American fashion designer (see list of Fashion Designers)
Sports
- Bob Allison
Baseball player.
- 1959 American League Rookie of the Year (see list of American League Rookies of the Year)
- Bob Beattie
Skier.
- Elected to the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1986 (see list of Members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame)
- Bob Bensinger
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bob Bourne
American hockey player.
- 1987 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (see list of Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year)
- Bob Charles
- 1963 British Open golf champion (see list of British Open Golf Champions)
- Bob St. Clair
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1990 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bob Cousy
American basketball player.
- 1956-57 National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (see list of NBA Most Valuable Players)
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Davies
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Elliott
Baseball player.
- 1947 National League Most Valuable Player (see list of National League Most Valuable Players)
- Bob Falkenburg
American tennis player.
- 1948 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- Bob Feller
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Fenimore
American football player.
- 1947 National Football League number-one draft pick (see list of Football #1 Draft Picks)
- Bob Fitzsimmons
- Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (see list of Old Timer inductees)
- Bob Foster (born 1938)
Heavyweight boxer.
- Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (see list of Modern inductees)
- Bob Gain
Football player.
- 1950 Outland Trophy winner (see list of Outland Trophy Winners)
- Bob Gibson
Baseball player.
- 1968 National League Most Valuable Player (see list of National League Most Valuable Players)
- 1968, 1970 National League Cy Young Award winner (see list of National League Winners of the Cy Young Award)
- 1964, 1967 World Series Most Valuable Player (see list of World Series Most Valuable Players)
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Glidden
Race-car driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Drag Racing (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bob Goalby
- 1968 Masters golf tournament winner (see list of Masters Tournament Golf Champions)
- Bob Griese
American football player.
- 1971 American Football Conference Player of the Year (see list of NFL Players of the Year)
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1990 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bob Grimm
Baseball player.
- 1954 American League Rookie of the Year (see list of American League Rookies of the Year)
- Bob Hamelin
Baseball player.
- 1994 American League Rookie of the Year (see list of American League Rookies of the Year)
- Bob Hamilton
- 1944 Professional Golf Association tournament winner (see list of PGA Champions)
- Bob Hannah
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for motorcycles (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bob Hart
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bob Horner
Baseball player.
- 1978 National League Rookie of the Year (see list of National League Rookies of the Year)
- Robert J. ''Bob'' Houbregs
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Kennedy
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bob Knight
American basketball player.
- Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Kurland
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Lanier
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Lemon
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Lilly
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1980 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bob Martin
- 1876, 1885 British Open golf champion (see list of British Open Golf Champions)
- Bob McAdoo
- 1974-75 National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (see list of NBA Most Valuable Players)
- 1972-73 National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year (see list of NBA Rookies of the Year)
- Bob Montgomery (born 1919)
American lightweight boxer. Nickname: The Philadelphia Bobcat.
- Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (see list of Modern inductees)
- Bob Nordskog
Power boat driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Power Boats (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bob O'Farrell
Baseball player.
- 1926 National League Most Valuable Player (see list of National League Most Valuable Players)
- Bob Pettit
American basketball player.
- 1955-56, 1958-59 National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (see list of NBA Most Valuable Players)
- 1954-55 National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year (see list of NBA Rookies of the Year)
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bob Rosburg
- 1959 Professional Golf Association tournament winner (see list of PGA Champions)
- Bob Sauvé
Hockey player.
- 1980 Vezina Trophy winner (see list of Vezina Trophy Winners)
- Bob Strampe
- Member of the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame (see list of Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame)
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bob Suter
American hockey player. Member of the team that won the 1980 Olympic gold medal.
- 1980 Associated Press Athlete of the Year, with his teammates (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, with his teammates (see list of Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year)
- Bob Sweikert
Race-car driver.
- 1955 Indianapolis 500 winner (see list of Indianapolis 500 Winners)
- Bob Turley
Baseball player.
- 1958 Cy Young Award winner (see list of American League winners of the Cy Young Award)
- 1958 World Series Most Valuable Player (see list of World Series Most Valuable Players)
- Bob Tway
- 1986 Professional Golf Association tournament winner (see list of PGA Champions)
- Bob Waterfield
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1965 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bob Welch (born 1956)
American baseball pitcher.
- 1990 American League Cy Young Award winner (see list of American League winners of the Cy Young Award)
Stage and Screen
- Bob Barker (born 1923)
American actor and game-show host.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bob
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Alan Alda (see list of Characters in the film Everyone Says I Love You)
- Bob Burns (born 1893, died 1956)
American musician and actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bob Campbell
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Jay Johnson (see list of Characters on ''Soap'')
- Bob Crane (born 1928, died 1978)
American actor.
- Portrayed Col. Robert Hogan (see list of Actors on ''Hogan's Heroes'')
- Bob Denver
American actor.
- Portrayed Gilligan (see list of Actors on ''Gilligan's Island'')
- Bob Dylan (born 1941)
American musician, singer and songwriter. Original name: Robert Allan Zimmerman.
- 1997 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- Bob Fosse (born 1927, died 1987)
American choreographer, actor, director and writer.
- 1972 Academy Award winner for Cabaret (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Director)
- Bob Harcum
American actor.
- Portrayed Murray from 1978-79 (see list of Actors on ''Welcome Back, Kotter'')
- Bob Hastings
- Portrayed Tommy Kelsey from 1973-77 (see list of Actors on ''All in the Family'')
- Bob Hawk
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bob Hope (born 1903)
English-born American comedian and actor.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre (see list of Theater Personalites with stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- 1985 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- Bob Hoskins (born 1942)
English actor, writer, director and producer.
- Winner of the 1986 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor award, for Mona Lisa (see list of Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Winners)
- Bob Hughes
Fictional character.
- Character on the soap opera ''''As the World Turns'''' (see list of Characters on ''As The World Turns'')
- Bob Keeshan (born 1927)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bob Seagren (born 1946)
- Portrayed Dennis Phillips in 1978 (see list of Actors on ''Soap'')
- Bob Seger (born 1945)
American singer and songwriter.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bob Thomas
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Bob Gray
Fictional character.
- The evil Pennywise the Dancing Clown in Stephen King''s novel It (see list of Characters in It)
- Bob Kaufman (born 1925, died 1986)
American poet.
- Wrote The Ancient Rain and Cranial Guitar (see list of Writers of the Beat Generation)
- Bob Keeler
- 1996 Pulitzer Prize winner for Beat Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting)
- Bob Palmer
Fictional character.
- News anchorman in Stephen King''s novel The Stand (see list of Characters in The Stand)
- Bob Polhurst
Fictional character.
- Bill''s old friend in Stephen King''s novel Insomnia (see list of Characters in Insomnia)
- Bob Tanner
Fictional character.
- Participated in the execution of the Bradley Gang in Stephen King''s novel It (see list of Characters in It)
- Bob Woodward (born 1943)
American journalist.
- Co-author of the 1976 nonfiction best-seller The Final Days (see list of Bestselling Nonfiction Authors in the U.S.)
Teasing Nicknames:
- 808
Associations:
''Bobby'' is slang for a policeman in Great Britain.
''Bob Hope'' is a British slang term for dope.
In British slang, a ''bobbydazzler'' is an impressive or stunning person.
''Uncle Bob'' is a British term for the police force.
The phrase ''Bob's your uncle'' means that something is easy or simple.
Barbed wire can also be called ''Bobwire.''
