130 Timeless Middle Names For Robert

Naming your baby is an important and personal decision. You want to choose a name that you love and which will be meaningful to your family. Sometimes choosing a middle name for your baby boy can be just as difficult as choosing his first name!

You desire a name that complements his first name as well as holds unique meaning for you. A middle name is important because it creates a unique identity, and it also speaks to something you value – whether a person, place, or special memory. So how do you choose the perfect middle name for your baby? 

If you’re reading this article, then you’ve decided on the first name Robert for your baby boy. Now you’re on the hunt for the best middle name for your Robert.

In our middle name series, we’ve developed some tools that are helpful and effective for choosing a middle name that you will love!

What Does the Name Robert Mean?

The name Robert is derived from the Germanic elements hrod, which means “fame” and berht, which means “bright.”

The name has been common in Continental Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It became most popular in England during the 18th century. Over time, it has held a steady place as a generally favored and well-loved name for boys.

In 2006, Robert was the 11th most popular name for baby boys born in Scotland. Then, in 2007, Robert was the 13th most popular baby boy name given in England and Wales. 

Variants of Robert in other languages include Roberto, Rubén, Rubert, Raúl (Spanish), Roberto, Ruy (Portuguese), Robin (Scandinavian), Robbe (Flemish), Rabbie and Ruairidh (Scottish Gaelic). Common diminutives in English include Bob, Bobby and Robb. 

You may also be familiar with some famous Roberts throughout history, including:

– Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968), U.S. politician

– Robert de Niro (born 1943), American actor

– Roberto Baggio (born 1967), Italian footballer

– Bob Dylan (born 1941), American singer-songwriter

 

How to Choose the Best Middle Name for Robert

• Family Members and Friends

Thinking through names of family members, friends, and mentors is a great start for finding middle name inspiration. Is there someone who holds a special place in your heart? Did you once enjoy summers fishing with your grandfather in a pond near his house? Or having afternoon tea and cookies with a great aunt? 

Many times, thinking through old family names is also where we come up with more classic or vintage names. For example, my friend named her son Charles in honor of her grandfather. Charles has become “Charlie,” a nickname that everyone loves to call him. Another friend named her daughter Ida Mae for her grandmother who had recently passed. This not only achieved giving her daughter a sentimental name but a unique one as well! If you are a fan of the popular show, This Is Us, then you recall that Kate named her first son after her dad, Jack. Or how about on Parenthood, when Amber named her baby boy Zeke for her grandfather? 

If you don’t have a family member that you wish to honor, then perhaps you had a best friend growing up who became more like a sibling. As time and distance (and adulting) cause us to grow apart, naming your baby for a friend can be a thoughtful way to memorialize an important relationship in your life. 

 

• Special Places

Sometimes a place can make such an impact that you want to find a way to tie it into your family’s DNA. Other times, you just like a cool name that stems from a special location! My friend lived in Sydney, Australia for two years when she was younger. She eventually moved back to the United States and married, but Sydney always held a special place in her heart. She had been so positively impacted by the culture and people over those two years. So it was no surprise when she gave birth to a baby girl a few years ago and gave her the middle name Sydney!

If you like to travel, maybe a city name for Robert would be a great fit. Austin, Aspen, Diego, Boston, Kent, Dallas, Jackson, Rome, and Zaire are just a few ideas. One of my hometown friends in Nashville named her baby boy Nash as a nod to the city she has come to know and love. This is a fantastic way to create a truly unique name for your baby!

If a place you’ve lived or visited hasn’t made a special impact, at least not to the point that it creates a name for your child, then maybe you could consider an untraditional approach. My oldest son loves reading books about the planets and outer space, and there are many wonderful boy names inspired by the great beyond – Astro, Jett, Leo, Orion, and Saros to name a few.

 

• Double Names

If you love double names, then choosing a one-syllable middle name for Robert could create a double name you really love. Robert Dane or Robert Page are just two examples. You could also use a two-syllable middle name such as the name Robert Wilder. It has such a great literary ring to it, and at only four syllables is not too long for people to easily remember! A double name is especially nice if you have a short last name. My last name is only one syllable, and my husband’s parents gave him the double name John William growing up. It’s as if the double name made it sound a little more classical and memorable. 

 

• Favorite Shows or Books

I’ll never forget falling in love with the name Noah when I watched The Notebook as a teenager. If you want a literary middle name, there’s a gigantic list to choose from (a favorite of book nerds everywhere – my precious neighbor named her son Henry David for the famed author Henry David Thoreau). There’s Asher, Augustus, Byron, Dante, Dorian, Finn, Heathcliffe, Henry, Holden, Jude, Milo, Oliver, Roland, Tristan, Victor, and that’s just the beginning! You could also choose a name from more recent and modern books and television series.  

 

Now that we’ve covered some sources of inspiration, let’s discuss some naming elements that can help you choose an amazing middle name for Robert. 

• Cadence

First up on the list, we have cadence. If you are a musician or singer, then cadence is a familiar concept to you. For those of us who are new to the word, cadence simply refers to a sequence of notes or chords that make up a musical phrase.In other words, it’s the harmonious pairing of certain sounds to make them memorable and pleasing to the ear. Simply put, rhythm! In music, it can be upbeat, ominous, rising, falling, you name it!

When it comes to names, cadence has the same application but works a little differently. In the end, our aim is to create a name that has cadence – or good measure, rhythm, and flow. Think of some of your favorite names from movies, television, books, and childhood stories. Which names stand out and why? Personally, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn come to mind. There’s also Laurie Lawrence, Don Draper, Sherlock Holmes, Archie Bunker, Thomas Magnum, Kya Clark, and the list goes on!

 

• Syllables

Besides choosing words or letters that pair well together (think of literary tools such as alliteration), we can also create cadence through our use of syllable balance. When we’re thinking through syllable balance, we can’t forget of course that our last name determines our starting point. Is your last name short, only one to two syllables, or is it long, with four or more syllables? (Joey Tribianni was a hilarious character on the American sitcom FRIENDS. At four syllables, his last name was one of the longest names of most tv characters.)  

 

Since Robert is a two-syllable name, consider how many syllables are in your last name and what may work best in terms of a middle name. Syllable balance is essentially the art of creating a harmonious balance of syllables between names. (It’s one of the ways we achieve cadence!) For example, Robert Draper James flows well because the syllables are 2:2:1. If the name, for example, is Robert Barrington Anderson, it works decently well, but notice that it doesn’t flow as well as the previous name. Part of it is the double “n” ending, and the other part is that Barrington and Anderson are both 3 syllable names. At its most simple, syllable balance would suggest that we either mix our syllables or create a pattern, such as 2:1:2 or 3:1:2. 

 

Best Middle Names for Robert

If you are looking for a great middle name for Robert, consider some of these timeless middle names for Robert!

1. Robert Aaron
2. Robert Abram
3. Robert Adam
4. Robert Adrian
5. Robert Alden
6. Robert Alexander
7. Robert Alistair
8. Robert Ambrose
9. Robert Anderson
10. Robert Andrew
11. Robert Asher
12. Robert Barrington
13. Robert Benjamin
14. Robert Blaine
15. Robert Blaise
16. Robert Blake
17. Robert Brody
18. Robert Brooks
19. Robert Bryan
20. Robert Caleb
21. Robert Calvin
22. Robert Carter
23. Robert Charles
24. Robert Christopher
25. Robert Cole
26. Robert Colt
27. Robert Corbin
28. Robert Daniel
29. Robert David
30. Robert Deacon
31. Robert Declan
32. Robert Drake
33. Robert Dylan
34. Robert Edward
35. Robert Edwin
36. Robert Elias
37. Robert Elijah
38. Robert Ephraim
39. Robert Eric
40. Robert Everett
41. Robert Ezekiel
42. Robert Ezra
43. Robert Felix
44. Robert Finnegan
45. Robert Franklin
46. Robert Frederick
47. Robert Gabriel
48. Robert Gabe
49. Robert Garrett
50. Robert Gavin
51. Robert Gideon
52. Robert Glenn
53. Robert Graham
54. Robert Grant
55. Robert Grayson
56. Robert Hezekiah
57. Robert Harrison
58. Robert Heath
59. Robert Henry
60. Robert Hugo
61. Robert Hunter
62. Robert Ian
63. Robert Isaac
64. Robert Isaiah
65. Robert Jacob
66. Robert James
67. Robert Jamison
68. Robert Jerome
69. Robert Joel
70. Robert John
71. Robert Joseph
72. Robert Joshua
73. Robert Josiah
74. Robert Jude
75. Robert Julian
76. Robert Kealan
77. Robert Kenneth
78. Robert Kyle
79. Robert Lane
80. Robert Lawrence
81. Robert Leo
82. Robert Leighton
83. Robert Levi
84. Robert Logan
85. Robert Luke
86. Robert Lyle
87. Robert Malachi
88. Robert Marshall
89. Robert Maxwell
90. Robert Micah
91. Robert Miles
92. Robert Nathaniel
93. Robert Oscar
94. Robert Owen
95. Robert Page
96. Robert Paul
97. Robert Peter
98. Robert Phillip
99. Robert Pierce
100. Robert Porter
101. Robert Preston
102. Robert Quentin
103. Robert Quinn
104. Robert Rhett
105. Robert Rowan
106. Robert Samuel
107. Robert Sean
108. Robert Sebastian
109. Robert Silas
110. Robert Simon
111. Robert Sullivan
112. Robert Thaddeus
113. Robert Theodore
114. Robert Thomas
115. Robert Tobias
116. Robert Travis
117. Robert Tristan
118. Robert Tyler
119. Robert Vance
120. Robert Vaughn
121. Robert Victor
122. Robert Vincent
123. Robert Walter
124. Robert Wesley
125. Robert Wilder
126. Robert William
127. Robert Wolfe
128. Robert Xavier
129. Robert Zachary
130. Robert Zane

 

Final Thoughts

Robert is a strong and traditional name which has been well-loved as a baby boy name for many years. There are many middle names that pair wonderfully with the first name Robert, including both classic, modern, and unique names which give the name Robert its own flair. We hope you find the perfect middle name for your little one from our list! If you have any other ideas, feel free to share them with us in the comments below.

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