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Robert

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: robert, Róbert, and Robèrt

English

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Etymology

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Etymology tree
Proto-Germanic *hrōþiz
Proto-Indo-European *bʰerHǵ-
Proto-Indo-European *-tós
Proto-Indo-European *bʰer(H)ǵ-tó-s
Proto-Germanic *berhtaz
Proto-Germanic *Hrōþiberhtaz
Proto-West Germanic *Hrōþiberhtder.
Frankishder.
Anglo-Norman Robertder.
English Robert

    From Anglo-Norman Robert, from the Old Frankish cognate of Old High German Hrodperht (normalised form: Ruodberht), from Proto-West Germanic *Hrōþiberht, from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþiberhtaz (literally “shining glory”). Doublet of Rupert.

    Pronunciation

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    Proper noun

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    Robert

    1. A male given name from the Germanic languages.
      • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
        : Act I, Scene I:
        My brother Robert? Old Sir Robert's son? / Colbrand the giant, that same mighty man?
      • 1984, John Edgar Wideman, Brothers and Keepers: A Memoir, Mariner Books, published 2005, →ISBN, page 93:
        I hadn't even considered names for a girl. Robby it would be. Robert Douglas. Where the Douglas came from is another story, but the Robert came from me because I liked the sound. Robert was formal, dignified, important. Robert. And that was nearly as nice as the chance I'd have to call my little brother Rob and Robby.
      • 2025 August 27, Casey Tolan, Audrey Ash, Allison Gordon, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Rob Kuznia, John Miller, “Police examine online videos, writings possibly linked to Minneapolis church shooting suspect”, in CNN‎[1], archived from the original on 4 September 2025:
        A 2017 yearbook photograph obtained by CNN shows Robert Westman, later known as Robin Westman, then a student at Annunciation Catholic grade school in Minneapolis.
    2. (rare compared to given name) A French surname originating as a patronymic.

    Usage notes

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    Derived terms

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    surnames

    Translations

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    Albanian

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    Proper noun

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    Robert m

    1. a male given name

    Declension

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    Declension of Robert
    singular
    indefinite definite
    nominative Robert Roberti
    accusative Robertin
    dative/ablative Roberti Robertit

    Azerbaijani

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    Proper noun

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    Robert (definite accusative Roberti, plural Robertlər)

    1. a transliteration of the English male given name Robert

    Catalan

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    Pronunciation

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    Proper noun

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    Robert m

    1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert

    Derived terms

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    Cebuano

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    Etymology

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    From English Robert, from Anglo-Norman Robert, from the Old Frankish cognate of Old High German Hrodperht, from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþiberhtaz (literally “shining glory”).

    Proper noun

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    Robert

    1. a male given name from English [in turn from the Germanic languages]

    Chinese

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    From English Robert, the meaning “male idiot” first appeared in a TVB drama 《老友鬼鬼》 (1991).

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    Robert

    1. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, dated) male idiot
      你咪當我Robert喎！ [Hong Kong Cantonese, trad.]
      你咪当我Robert㖞！ [Hong Kong Cantonese, simp.]
      nei5 mai5 dong3 ngo5 lo1 bat4 wo3! [Jyutping]
      Don't treat me as an idiot!

    Synonyms

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    Dialectal synonyms of 傻子 (“fool; idiot”) [map]
    Variety Location Words
    Formal (Written Standard Chinese) 傻子, 傻瓜
    Beijing Mandarin Beijing 傻狗兒, 傻蛋, 傻屄 pejorative
    Taiwan 傻子, 傻瓜, 凱子
    Singapore 傻瓜
    Northeastern Mandarin Harbin 傻子, 傻狍子, 傻錛兒錛兒, 傻蛋, 傻屄 pejorative
    Jilu Mandarin Jinan 傻瓜, 傻子, 呆子
    Central Plains Mandarin Luoyang 傻瓜, 傻屌, 傻膀
    Xuzhou 傻子
    Lanyin Mandarin Yinchuan 傻子
    Southwestern Mandarin Chengdu 哈巴兒, 哈娃兒, 嘻瓜娃兒, 吞兒寶
    Guilin 哈崽, 哈卵 vulgar
    Liuzhou 傻崽, 哈崽
    Luzhai 傻崽, 哈崽, 憨崽
    Nanning (Wuming) 痴崽, 癲崽
    Dagudi (Maliba) 楞人
    Reshuitang (Longling) 傻瓜, 憨包
    Mae Salong (Lancang) 傻瓜, 笨蛋, 憨包, 包人
    Mae Sai (Tengchong) 傻瓜, 憨人
    Jianghuai Mandarin Nanjing 傻子
    Cantonese Guangzhou 傻瓜, 阿傻, 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy, 戇居仔 boy
    Hong Kong 傻瓜, 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy, 傻女 girl, 傻妹 girl, 死蠢, kai子 dated slang, Lulu dated slang, Robert male, dated slang, Robert仔 male, dated slang, 孟加拉 dated slang
    Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) 懵佬
    Macau 傻佬
    Guangzhou (Panyu) 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy
    Guangzhou (Zengcheng) 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy
    Foshan 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy
    Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy
    Foshan (Shunde) 傻佬, 傻仔
    Foshan (Sanshui) 傻仔, 蠢仔
    Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) 傻仔
    Zhongshan (Shiqi) 傻仔
    Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) 傻佬
    Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) 傻仔, 傻佬
    Zhuhai (Doumen) 傻仔, 傻佬
    Jiangmen (Baisha) 傻佬
    Jiangmen (Xinhui) 傻佬
    Taishan 吽仔
    Kaiping (Chikan) 吽仔
    Enping (Niujiang) 傻仔
    Heshan (Yayao) 傻仔
    Dongguan 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy, 傻女 girl, 懵佬 man, 懵婆 woman, 懵仔 boy, 懵女 girl
    Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy
    Beihai 傻瓜
    Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) 傻仔, 傻佬
    Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) 傻佬, 傻婆, 廢佬
    Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) 傻仔, 傻佬
    Penang (Guangfu) 傻仔
    Singapore (Guangfu) 傻仔
    Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) 傻佬
    Móng Cái 傻仔, 傻佬
    Gan Nanchang 蟬頭
    Hakka Meixian 傻瓜, 戇牯, 傻貨, 傻仔
    Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) 懵佬 man, 懵婆 woman, 懵仔 boy
    Dongguan (Qingxi) 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy
    Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) 傻佬 man, 傻婆 woman, 傻仔 boy
    Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) 傻佬
    Miaoli (N. Sixian) 戇仔
    Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) 戇仔
    Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian) 戇人
    Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian) 戇仔
    Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian) 戇仔
    Hong Kong 傻佬
    Jin Taiyuan 傻子, 傻屄 pejorative
    Xinzhou 傻瓜子
    Northern Min Jian'ou 賴仔, 賴撇仔
    Southern Min Xiamen 戇儂, 歁囝, 歁的
    Zhao'an 戇仔
    Taipei 悾的, 戇猴 GT, 宋盼的 GT, 盼仔 GT
    New Taipei (Tamsui) 悾的, 悾闇, 戇的, 孝呆
    New Taipei (Sanxia) 孝呆, 悾的, 歁的
    New Taipei (Pingxi) 悾的, 戇的, 歁的, 孝呆
    Kaohsiung 戇的, 悾的
    Kaohsiung (Cijin) 悾的, 戇的, 孝呆
    Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang) 悾的, 戇的
    Kaohsiung (Tianliao) 悾的, 戇的, 悾闇
    Kaohsiung (Cieding) 悾的, 戇的
    Yilan 戇的
    Yilan (Luodong) 悾的, 戇的
    Yilan (Toucheng) 悾的, 戇的
    Changhua (Lukang) 悾的
    Taichung 戇的
    Tainan 悾的, 戇的, 戇儂, 戇虎的
    Tainan (Anping) 悾闇, 戇儂
    Hsinchu 戇儂
    Chiayi 悾闇, 戇的
    Chiayi County (Dongshi) 悾的, 戇儂
    Pingtung (Baoli, Checheng) 悾的, 戇的
    Kinmen 倥的
    Penghu (Magong) 悾的, 戇的, 歁的
    Penghu (Xiyu) 悾的, 戇的, 孝呆
    Penang (Hokkien) 戇儂, 戇居, 柴頭, 戇囝, 傻仔
    Singapore (Hokkien) 戇囝, 歁的
    Manila (Hokkien) 山猴, 戇戇鬼, 洽洽仔, 三八儂, ka-mú-tī, 大番薯
    Chaozhou 戇囝, 白仁囝
    Shantou 傻瓜, 㦙囝, 傻哥
    Leizhou 妃松, 老松, 山邁
    Haikou 傻囝
    Zhongshan Min Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) 傻佬
    Zhongshan (Sanxiang) 傻佬
    Southern Pinghua Nanning (Tingzi) 傻崽
    Wu Shanghai 戇人, 阿戇, 踱頭, 壽頭, 戇浮屍 vulgar
    Xiang Changsha 哈寶, 苕它, 蠢人子, 蠢寶, 痴呆子, 哈卵 vulgar
    Loudi 哈寶, 哈聖, 哈子
    Note GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)

    Coordinate terms

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    References

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    • Bolton, Kingsley; Hutton, Christopher (2005), A Dictionary of Cantonese Slang: The Language of Hong Kong Movies, Street Gangs and City Life, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, →ISBN, page 255

    Czech

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    Czech Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia cs

    Pronunciation

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    Proper noun

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    Robert m anim

    1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert

    Declension

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    This proper noun needs an inflection-table template.

    Danish

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    Proper noun

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    Robert

    1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert

    Dutch

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    Etymology

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    From Middle Dutch robert, from Old French [Term?], from Germanic. Equivalent to a Frenchified form of Robrecht.

    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /ˈroː.bərt/, /ˈrɔ.bərt/, (French-based pronunciation) /roːˈbɛr/
    • Audio:(file)
    • Hyphenation: Ro‧bert

    Proper noun

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    Robert m

    1. a male given name

    Derived terms

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    Estonian

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    Proper noun

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    Robert

    1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert
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    Faroese

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    Proper noun

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    Robert m

    1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert

    Usage notes

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    Patronymics

    • Robert's son: Robertsson
    • Robert's daughter: Robertsdóttir

    Declension

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    singular
    indefinite
    nominative Robert
    accusative Robert
    dative Roberti
    genitive Roberts

    Finnish

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    Etymology

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    From Swedish Robert, from English Robert[1] or Latin Robertus, from Frankish *Hrōþiberht.

    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /ˈrobert/, [ˈro̞be̞rt̪]
    • Rhymes: -obert
    • Syllabification(key): Ro‧bert
    • Hyphenation(key): Ro‧bert

    Proper noun

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    Robert

    1. a male given name from the Germanic languages, equivalent to English Robert

    Declension

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    Inflection of Robert (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
    nominative Robert Robertit
    genitive Robertin Robertien
    partitive Robertia Roberteja
    illative Robertiin Roberteihin
    singular plural
    nominative Robert Robertit
    accusative nom. Robert Robertit
    gen. Robertin
    genitive Robertin Robertien
    partitive Robertia Roberteja
    inessive Robertissa Roberteissa
    elative Robertista Roberteista
    illative Robertiin Roberteihin
    adessive Robertilla Roberteilla
    ablative Robertilta Roberteilta
    allative Robertille Roberteille
    essive Robertina Roberteina
    translative Robertiksi Roberteiksi
    abessive Robertitta Roberteitta
    instructive — Robertein
    comitative See the possessive forms below.
    Possessive forms of Robert (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
    first-person singular possessor
    singular plural
    nominative Robertini Robertini
    accusative nom. Robertini Robertini
    gen. Robertini
    genitive Robertini Robertieni
    partitive Robertiani Robertejani
    inessive Robertissani Roberteissani
    elative Robertistani Roberteistani
    illative Robertiini Roberteihini
    adessive Robertillani Roberteillani
    ablative Robertiltani Roberteiltani
    allative Robertilleni Roberteilleni
    essive Robertinani Roberteinani
    translative Robertikseni Roberteikseni
    abessive Robertittani Roberteittani
    instructive — —
    comitative — Roberteineni
    second-person singular possessor
    singular plural
    nominative Robertisi Robertisi
    accusative nom. Robertisi Robertisi
    gen. Robertisi
    genitive Robertisi Robertiesi
    partitive Robertiasi Robertejasi
    inessive Robertissasi Roberteissasi
    elative Robertistasi Roberteistasi
    illative Robertiisi Roberteihisi
    adessive Robertillasi Roberteillasi
    ablative Robertiltasi Roberteiltasi
    allative Robertillesi Roberteillesi
    essive Robertinasi Roberteinasi
    translative Robertiksesi Roberteiksesi
    abessive Robertittasi Roberteittasi
    instructive — —
    comitative — Roberteinesi
    first-person plural possessor
    singular plural
    nominative Robertimme Robertimme
    accusative nom. Robertimme Robertimme
    gen. Robertimme
    genitive Robertimme Robertiemme
    partitive Robertiamme Robertejamme
    inessive Robertissamme Roberteissamme
    elative Robertistamme Roberteistamme
    illative Robertiimme Roberteihimme
    adessive Robertillamme Roberteillamme
    ablative Robertiltamme Roberteiltamme
    allative Robertillemme Roberteillemme
    essive Robertinamme Roberteinamme
    translative Robertiksemme Roberteiksemme
    abessive Robertittamme Roberteittamme
    instructive — —
    comitative — Roberteinemme
    second-person plural possessor
    singular plural
    nominative Robertinne Robertinne
    accusative nom. Robertinne Robertinne
    gen. Robertinne
    genitive Robertinne Robertienne
    partitive Robertianne Robertejanne
    inessive Robertissanne Roberteissanne
    elative Robertistanne Roberteistanne
    illative Robertiinne Roberteihinne
    adessive Robertillanne Roberteillanne
    ablative Robertiltanne Roberteiltanne
    allative Robertillenne Roberteillenne
    essive Robertinanne Roberteinanne
    translative Robertiksenne Roberteiksenne
    abessive Robertittanne Roberteittanne
    instructive — —
    comitative — Roberteinenne
    third-person possessor
    singular plural
    nominative Robertinsa Robertinsa
    accusative nom. Robertinsa Robertinsa
    gen. Robertinsa
    genitive Robertinsa Robertiensa
    partitive Robertiaan
    Robertiansa     		Robertejaan
    Robertejansa
    inessive Robertissaan
    Robertissansa     		Roberteissaan
    Roberteissansa
    elative Robertistaan
    Robertistansa     		Roberteistaan
    Roberteistansa
    illative Robertiinsa Roberteihinsa
    adessive Robertillaan
    Robertillansa     		Roberteillaan
    Roberteillansa
    ablative Robertiltaan
    Robertiltansa     		Roberteiltaan
    Roberteiltansa
    allative Robertilleen
    Robertillensa     		Roberteilleen
    Roberteillensa
    essive Robertinaan
    Robertinansa     		Roberteinaan
    Roberteinansa
    translative Robertikseen
    Robertiksensa     		Roberteikseen
    Roberteiksensa
    abessive Robertittaan
    Robertittansa     		Roberteittaan
    Roberteittansa
    instructive — —
    comitative — Roberteineen
    Roberteinensa

    Derived terms

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    Statistics

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    • Robert is the 199th most common male given name in Finland, belonging to 3,032 male individuals (and as a middle name to 4,444 more), according to August 2025 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

    References

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    1. ^ Kustaa Vilkuna (2005) [1976], Pirjo Mikkonen, editor, Etunimet, 4th edition, Helsinki: Otava, published 2011, →ISBN

    French

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    French Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia fr

    Pronunciation

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    Proper noun

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    Robert m

    1. a male given name, feminine equivalent Roberte, equivalent to English Robert
    2. a surname originating as a patronymic

    Derived terms

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    Further reading

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    German

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    Etymology

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    From Middle High German Robert, from Latin Robertus, from Frankish, from Proto-Germanic *Hrōþiberhtaz. Reinforced since the 18th century by French Robert. Other (chiefly southern) German forms are Rupert and Ruprecht.

    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /ˈʁoːbɛʁt/, /ˈʁoːbɐt/ (with some regional variation, the latter being uncommon in western Germany)
    • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)

    Proper noun

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    Robert m (proper noun, strong, genitive Roberts)

    1. a male given name from Frankish, feminine equivalent Roberta, equivalent to English Robert
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    Italian

    [edit]
    Italian Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia it

    Etymology 1

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    Unadapted borrowing from English Robert.

    Pronunciation

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    Proper noun

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    Robert m

    1. a male given name in English

    Etymology 2

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      Borrowed from French Robert.

      Pronunciation

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      Proper noun

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      Robert m or f by sense

      1. a male given name and surname in French

      References

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      1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Robert in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)

      Norwegian

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      Proper noun

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      Robert

      1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert

      Old French

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      Etymology

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      Of Germanic origin, equivalent to Frankish *hrōþi (“fame”) + *berht (“bright”).

      Proper noun

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      Robert m (nominative singular Roberz)

      1. a male given name, a Germanic (Old Frankish) borrowing

      Polish

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      Polish Wikipedia has an article on:
      Wikipedia pl

      Pronunciation

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      Etymology 1

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      (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Doublet of Rupert.

      Proper noun

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      Robert m pers (female equivalent Roberta, diminutive Robercik)

      1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert

      Proper noun

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      Robert m pers

      1. a male surname
      Declension
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      Declension of Robert
      singular plural
      nominative Robert Robertowie
      genitive Roberta Robertów
      dative Robertowi Robertom
      accusative Roberta Robertów
      instrumental Robertem Robertami
      locative Robercie Robertach
      vocative Robercie Robertowie

      Proper noun

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      Robert f (indeclinable)

      1. a female surname

      Etymology 2

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      See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

      Proper noun

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      Robert f

      1. genitive plural of Roberta

      Further reading

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      • “Robert”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎[4] (in Polish)
      • Robert in PWN's encyclopedia
      • “Robert”, in Internetowy słownik nazwisk w Polsce [Internet dictionary of surnames in Poland], 2025–2030

      Swedish

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      Etymology

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      First recorded as a given name in Sweden in 1219.

      Pronunciation

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      • IPA(key): /¹roːbɛʈ/, /¹roːbæʈ/

      Proper noun

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      Robert c (genitive Roberts)

      1. a male given name, equivalent to English Robert
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      References

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      • Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, →ISBN
      • [5] Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, →ISBN: 55 692 males with the given name Robert living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1970s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.
      Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Robert&oldid=90559165"