Robinson is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning 'son of Robin'. It is also used as a given name, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. The name Robinson first gained prominence through Daniel Defoe's novel "Robinson Crusoe", published in 1719. In the story, Robinson Crusoe is shipwrecked on an island for 28 years, giving rise to the term 'Robinsonade', meaning a literary work involving a solitary hero living among natives or animals. The name has since become associated with adventure and survival. Notable figures with the surname Robinson include Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era, and Frank Robinson, another prominent baseball player who was the first professional athlete to win both the Most Valuable Player Award in both the American and National Leagues.
These statistics show a fluctuating trend in the number of births with the name Robinson over the past century and beyond. The earliest years recorded, from 1900 to 1929, average around 10-15 births per year, with some notable spikes such as 17 births in 1930 and 26 births in 1962. From the 1970s onwards, there's a clear increase in popularity, reaching an all-time high of 64 births in 2014. However, since then, the number has been decreasing, with only 31 births recorded in 2022 and 41 in 2023. Overall, over these 123 years, there have been a total of 2857 births named Robinson.