Kobe
Boy name · #521 in 2025 · Rare
Kobe is currently the #521 boy name in the United States — 578 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #594, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,114 boys born in 2025 was named Kobe.
The 36-year story
Kobe first appears in the Social Security records in 1989, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2001, when 1,552 boys were named Kobe — good for #222 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Kobe per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kobe against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kobe in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kobe is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kobe will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kobe is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kobe is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Kobe is most common in MS (1.1 per 1,000), NV (1.1 per 1,000), IN (0.7 per 1,000), LA (0.6 per 1,000), WA (0.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kobe is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kobe
Statistically, parents drawn to Kobe tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kolbe, Reece, Reese, Cade, and Jakobe.
KolbeReeceReeseCadeJakobeStoneKoleKane
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kobe | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 578 | #518 |
| 2024 | 790 | #410 |
| 2023 | 755 | #421 |
| 2022 | 851 | #381 |
| 2021 | 1,117 | #297 |
| 2020 | 1,518 | #239 |
| 2019 | 507 | #556 |
| 2018 | 481 | #575 |
| 2017 | 533 | #531 |
| 2016 | 583 | #512 |
| 2015 | 465 | #594 |
| 2014 | 524 | #532 |
| 2013 | 553 | #494 |
| 2012 | 526 | #506 |
| 2011 | 555 | #477 |
| 2010 | 645 | #428 |
| 2009 | 687 | #419 |
| 2008 | 730 | #403 |
| 2007 | 573 | #471 |
| 2006 | 469 | #538 |
| 2005 | 444 | #544 |
| 2004 | 625 | #415 |
| 2003 | 1,213 | #265 |
| 2002 | 1,392 | #244 |
| 2001 | 1,552 | #222 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kobe a popular boy name?
Kobe ranked #521 among boys in 2025 with 578 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #594.
When was the name Kobe most popular?
Kobe peaked in 2001, when 1,552 American boys received the name (ranked #222 that year). Since 2001 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kobe?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,114 newborn American boys was named Kobe. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.