Kobe
How to say it: KOH-bee · /ˈkoʊbi/
From the Japanese city Kobe ('divine door'), or a variant of Jacob (Hebrew 'supplanter'). Widely known via Kobe Bryant.
Kobe was the 412th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 578 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 6% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #415 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #412 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 578 |
| Share of births | 1 in 4,212 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +6% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #415 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,436 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Entirely a product of the last forty years, Kobe crested in the 2020s. Holding at its peak for now, it is projected to dip next.
What goes with it
Crisp and bold in two syllables, Kobe feels strong and easy to carry across languages. Kai offers a similarly punchy partner.
Honouring a Kobe in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Kobe is about 1 in 176.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, Hebrew, Japanese.
In France: #2,436 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #373. Ireland: #450.
Famous people named Kobe
- Kobe Bryant (1978–2020)American basketball player
- Kobe Goossens (born 1996)Belgian cyclist
- Kobe Brown (born 2000)American basketball player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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