Bob
BOB
A familiar short form of Robert, often linked by tradition to the idea of “bright fame.”
Meaning
Bob is a familiar nickname for Robert. In the excerpted 19th-century name books, Bob is treated as a Scottish/Germanic diminutive with the sense of “bright fame,” alongside related forms like Rob, Bobby, and Bobbie. More broadly, it functions as a pet form rather than a separate old given name.
Origin
EnglishScottishGermanicmasculine
Fun fact
One excerpt notes that “Bob” appears among long-lived pet forms alongside Tom, Dick, and Jack.