Kobe
Girl name · #3821 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kobe? In official American birth records, Kobe has been tracked continuously since 1997, giving it 28 years of documented American history.
Kobe ranks #3821 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 39 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #13006, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 46,154 girls born in 2025 was named Kobe.
Babies named Kobe per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 28-year story
Kobe first appears in the Social Security records in 1997, when 13 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 60 girls were named Kobe — good for #2818 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.
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 "very 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
State-level data for Kobe is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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 Kobi, Blue, Ivee, Kior, and Kinza.
KobiBlueIveeKiorKinzaPeaceKoveLake
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kobe | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | #3780 |
| 2024 | 41 | #3695 |
| 2023 | 41 | #3709 |
| 2022 | 51 | #3171 |
| 2021 | 60 | #2818 |
| 2020 | 57 | #2850 |
| 2019 | 18 | #6414 |
| 2018 | 11 | #9151 |
| 2017 | 17 | #6808 |
| 2016 | 20 | #6186 |
| 2015 | 7 | #13006 |
| 2014 | 14 | #8053 |
| 2013 | 14 | #8135 |
| 2012 | 13 | #8632 |
| 2011 | 14 | #8196 |
| 2010 | 12 | #9231 |
| 2009 | 12 | #9379 |
| 2008 | 15 | #8109 |
| 2007 | 9 | #11630 |
| 2006 | 11 | #9901 |
| 2005 | 6 | #14502 |
| 2004 | 8 | #11624 |
| 2003 | 15 | #7207 |
| 2002 | 16 | #6698 |
| 2001 | 19 | #5822 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kobe?
In official American birth records, the name Kobe first appeared in 1997 (over 28 years ago), when 13 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 28 years.
Is Kobe a popular girl name?
Kobe ranked #3821 among girls in 2025 with 39 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #13006.
When was the name Kobe most popular?
Kobe peaked in 2021, when 60 American girls received the name (ranked #2818 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kobe?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 46,154 newborn American girls was named Kobe. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.