Robin: meaning and UK use

What does Robin mean?

Robin began as a medieval short form of Robert. Modern use can also refer to the red-breasted bird; Robyn is a recorded variant.

Language or name family covered

English name family; also bird name

Meaning or derivation

A short form of Robert or a bird name

Our browsing group

unisex; vintage, nature

Browsing groups describe our editorial shortlist, not rules about who may use a name. A name can cross languages and genders.

Sources for this entry — reviewed 2026-10-07:

• Behind the Name — Robin

Pronunciation and related forms

ROB-in (British English)

English respellings are approximate; IPA is labelled where used. Follow the pronunciation a person or family chooses, and check it with a speaker of the intended language if that connection matters to you.

Related forms recorded in the reference: Robert, Robyn. These may be full forms, diminutives or forms in another language; they are not necessarily pronounced alike or counted together in statistics.

How popular is Robin?

In 2025, 485 baby boys in England and Wales were registered as Robin, making it the 109th most popular boys’ name. That is up 16 places on 2024, when it ranked 125th. It is used for both sexes: 186 girls were also given the name (250th for girls). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it ranked 228th, so it has climbed 119 places in a decade. 2025 is its highest ranking in the ONS series, which starts in 1996. These figures cover England and Wales, not the whole UK.

2025 rank (boys)

109th

2025 registrations

485

Best rank in this series

109th (2025)

Every year from 1996 to 2025

Robin: rank and number of baby boys by year (ONS)

Year	Rank	Babies
2025	109	485
2024	125	437
2023	124	432
2022	120	464
2021	130	443
2020	146	381
2019	143	400
2018	175	303
2017	209	251
2016	198	286
2015	228	250
2014	232	239
2013	253	199
2012	249	197
2011	298	148
2010	361	114
2009	366	106
2008	344	112
2007	300	127
2006	282	127
2005	288	112
2004	298	100
2003	266	114
2002	264	107
2001	279	98
2000	254	112
1999	283	96
1998	237	127
1997	213	151
1996	198	161

The sum of published counts in this 1996–2025 boys series is 6,679. This is a lower bound where years are suppressed, not the number of living people with the name. A best rank is the best position within this series; it does not establish an all-time record.

Sources: ONS release, 2025; girls' dataset; boys' dataset. Our 20 top-ten positions were checked against Table 1 in the 2025 workbooks. The history chart and spelling comparisons come from the separate ONS 1996–2025 workbook, checked 7 October 2026. Spelling variants are separate entries. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate statistics.

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Names to compare with Robin

These suggestions share a browsing group and one or more of our style tags or source-context labels. They are taste comparisons, not etymological relatives or a popularity ranking.

• Edennature · Possibly delight or a plain
• Frankievintage · A short form of Frank or Frances
• Rivernature · A river
• Sagenature · The herb or a wise person

Read the UK naming guide for the difference between inspiration lists and official statistics, or return to the full name finder.

Registering or changing the name

Once you decide on Robin, confirm the registration process for your UK nation with the register office. If you later want to change a registered name, the route depends on the circumstances and may require consent from people with parental responsibility.

Start with GOV.UK birth registration or GOV.UK guidance on changing a child’s name. Our registration guide and child name-change guide explain where to find the relevant official process.