When I was in high school, one of my best friends, Kristen, had this thing for the name Bob. Honestly, I never understood it. She just loved Bob things and Bob people and Bobby pins.
Then I went to college and I met another Bob lover. His name was Brian and he drove a motorcycle and liked being called Bob. I set him up on a double date with my other Bob lover but shockingly, Bob love is not enough to guarantee a love connection.
Then our uncle Bryan started “Bobbing” the boys. It became this irresistible bit between them— Uncle Bob and his Bob nephews. Come to find out, he also had an Uncle Bob. And it’s his go-to name for kids with names he can’t remember. Unfortunately it was just too catchy… I showed-up to one of Jake’s first baseball games and the team and all the coaches are cheering for Bob. Who’s Bob?
Wait what?! My son with the thoughtfully chosen, classically strong name with a simple modern nickname, has asked his entire team to call him Bob?
When asked, Jakey just told me, “It’s just my funny jokester name Mom.”
I had to introduce myself to other baseball moms as “Bob’s mom,” otherwise they had no idea who I was talking about.
This weekend I told my original Bob-lover about my new Bob-lover. She thought it was brilliant— some sort of sign of his intelligence and powers of persuasion. She uses the name Bob daily in her job— her go-to example. I, on the other hand, am hoping the Bob fad will fade. Perhaps just a coping mechanism during a year of significant upheaval and change?
A few weeks ago, Jacob forgot his hat at the beach house when the van der Schalies and the Palms and the Bullock were visiting. Sarah says she figured out it was ours because “Cora said Nate and Jake call things Bob.” A few hours with them and bam, Cora’s got their number.
Now Nate’s hat has the name Bob under the bill… the fad is not fading. It’s spreading.