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Kobe

Swahili
"tortoise"
icon / arrow-up57% this week
Clare Green
By Clare Green
Updated Thu Apr 24 2025

Kobe Origin and Meaning

The name Kobe is a boy's name of Swahili origin meaning "tortoise".

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, whose name was inspired by a Japanese steak house, brought this energetic and appealing name into -- and out of -- the mix. Bryant's tragic death in a helicopter crash in 2020 increased the popularity of his name, as fans and admirers named their children Kobe in honor of the star.

# 418 in the US

Kobe Rank in US Top 1000

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# 1991 on Nameberry

Kobe Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

020040060080010002015201620172018201920202021

Popularity of the name Kobe

20 Names Similar to Kobe

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Kobe.

Famous People Named Kobe

  • Kobe Bean Bryant
    American basketball player
  • Kobe Lorenzo Forster Paras
    Filipino basketball player
  • Kobe Faison (b. 2001)
    son of actor Donald Faison & Lisa Aksey
  • Kobe Tai
    Taiwanese adult film actress
  • Masahiko Kobe
    Japanese Iron Chef

The name Kobe in Pop Culture

  • Kobe
    Japan, which gave its name to Kobe beef

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