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Roberta

Girl name · 117 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Roberta: 117 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 12 births in 1975.

The feminine form of Robert, Roberta has Scottish and English roots, ultimately from the Germanic *Hrodebert*, meaning "bright fame" or "shining in glory." Its most famous bearers include pioneering physicist Roberta Bondar, who became the first Canadian woman in space in 1992, and civil rights activist Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning soul singer behind "Killing Me Softly." The name shares its etymological root with the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, whose name derives from the Old English *Eidyn* plus *burh*; though Roberta itself has no direct place connection, its masculine counterpart appears in many Scottish place names like Robertson and Robroyston. A notable variant is the Irish spelling Roibeárd, while the name saw a surge in popularity during the 1940s and 1950s in Scotland, reflecting broader trends across the English-speaking world.