Robert is a name of Germanic origin, derived from the Germanic words "hrod" meaning fame and "bert" meaning bright or famous. It has been used extensively throughout history and across different cultures.
The name Robert first appeared in France during the Middle Ages, brought over by Viking settlers who had adopted it from their German ancestors. It quickly became popular among the nobility due to its strong association with power and success.
In England, the name Robert was introduced by the Normans after they conquered the country in 1066. It soon became a common name for boys born into wealthy families, as evidenced by several Robberts listed in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Throughout history, many notable figures have carried the name Robert. Some examples include King Robert I of Scotland, also known as Robert the Bruce; Robert Peel, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice during the early 19th century; and Robert Frost, an American poet who won four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
Today, Robert remains a popular choice for boys' names around the world. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, it was the 287th most popular boy's name in 2019.
The name Robert experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. It started with around 2500 births per year between 1880 and 1900, but then saw a sharp increase, peaking at over 37000 births in 1907. This high remained until World War II, after which it declined steadily. By the late 1960s, Robert was no longer among the top ten names. In recent years, it has continued to decline, with only around 4000 births per year since 2015. Overall, over the span of these records (1880-2023), there were approximately 4.8 million babies named Robert in total.