UK boy's name
Rob
A masculine diminutive of the name Robert, which means "bright fame".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rob is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rob popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4810, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 7 births.
This profile covers 38 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 1996 to 2016. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 94 living people in the UK are called Rob. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2017 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rob ranked #4810 for boys in England and Wales in 2016, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 7 boys were registered as Rob.
- • Rob ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #446 in 2005.
- • About 94 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rob as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4810
2016
Births in 2016
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
7 births
Estimated living
94
2026
Meaning
What does Rob mean?
The given name Rob is a diminutive form of the name Robert, which has its origins in the Germanic languages. Robert is derived from the Old High German name Hruodberht, which is composed of the elements hruod ("fame" or "glory") and berht ("bright" or "shining"). This name became popular in medieval Europe through the veneration of St. Robert, the founder of the Cistercian order.
The name Robert can be traced back to the 8th century, when it was first recorded as the name of a Frankish nobleman. It gained widespread popularity in the Christian world due to its association with several saints and religious figures, including St. Robert of Molesme (1028-1111), the founder of the Cistercian order, and St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), a Jesuit scholar and cardinal.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Rob as a diminutive form of Robert dates back to the 13th century in England. Over time, Rob became a common nickname for Robert, and it eventually evolved into a standalone given name.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Rob or its variants. Here are five examples:
1. Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734), a Scottish folk hero and outlaw who was renowned for his cattle rustling and resistance against the English. 2. Rob Halford (born 1951), the lead singer of the iconic heavy metal band Judas Priest, known for his powerful vocals and theatrical stage presence. 3. Rob Reiner (born 1947), an American actor, director, and producer, best known for his roles in the sitcom "All in the Family" and for directing films such as "When Harry Met Sally" and "The Princess Bride." 4. Rob Zombie (born 1965), an American musician, filmmaker, and former founder of the heavy metal band White Zombie, known for his fusion of horror and industrial metal genres. 5. Rob Lowe (born 1964), an American actor and producer, famous for his roles in films such as "The Outsiders," "St. Elmo's Fire," and the TV series "The West Wing."
The name Rob has a rich history, originating from the Germanic roots and evolving into a popular diminutive form of Robert over the centuries. Its association with saints, religious figures, and various notable individuals across different fields has contributed to its enduring popularity and cultural significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rob over time
The chart below shows babies named Rob registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rob, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2016, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rob by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rob was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4808 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3790 | 12 | 4 |
| 1990s | #2111 | 20 | 4 |
Geography
Where Rob is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rob. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Rob ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #446 in 2005.
Across the UK
Rob in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#446 in 2005
12 years of NRS records, 57 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Rob
-
Rob Yates
cricketer
English cricketer
1999-
-
Rob Vincent
association football player
English footballer (born 1990)
1990-
-
Rob Woolley
cricketer
English cricketer
1990-
-
Rob Webber
rugby union player
English rugby union footballer
1986-
-
Rob Worrincy
rugby league player
English rugby league and rugby union footballer
1985-
-
Rob Williams
rower
British rower (born 1985)
1985-
-
Rob Whitworth
photographer
British photographer
1982-
-
Rob Wolleaston
association football player
Footballer (born 1979)
1979-
Related
Names similar to Rob
- Ryan 68,692
- Riley 37,992
- Robert 27,462
- Reuben 25,122
- Rhys 24,418
- Reece 24,329
- Rory 21,870
- Roman 16,609
- Ronnie 16,445
- Reggie 14,684
- Rowan 14,371
- Ralph 8,892
FAQ
Rob: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rob in the UK right now?
In 2016, Rob was ranked #4810 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rob most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 7 babies registered as Rob in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rob?
A masculine diminutive of the name Robert, which means "bright fame".
How many people are called Rob in the UK?
A total of 38 babies have been registered as Rob across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 57 more in Scotland.
Where is Rob most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Rob ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #446 in 2005. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.