The name Robert is an ancient

Germanic given name Germanic given names are traditionally dithematic; that is, they are formed from two elements, by joining a prefix and a suffix. For example, King Æþelred's name was derived from ', for "noble", and ', for "counsel". However, there are also ...

, from

Proto-Germanic Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. Proto-Germanic eventually developed from pre-Proto-Germanic into three Germanic bran ...

"fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare

Old Dutch In linguistics, Old Dutch (Dutch: Oudnederlands) or Old Low Franconian (Dutch: Oudnederfrankisch) is the set of Franconian dialects (i.e. dialects that evolved from Frankish) spoken in the Low Countries during the Early Middle Ages, from aro ...

''Robrecht'' and

Old High German Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050. There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old High ...

''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honour, praise, renown" and ''

berht Bert is a hypocoristic form of a number of various Germanic male given names, such as Robert, Albert, Elbert, Herbert, Hilbert, Hubert, Gilbert, Wilbert, Filbert, Norbert, Osbert, Bertram, Berthold, Bertrand, Umberto, Humbert, Cuthbe ...

'' "bright, light, shining"). It is the second most frequently used given name of ancient Germanic origin. It is also in use as a surname. Another commonly used form of the name is

Rupert Rupert may refer to: People * Rupert (name), various people known by the given name or surname "Rupert" Places Canada *Rupert, Quebec, a village *Rupert Bay, a large bay located on the south-east shore of James Bay *Rupert River, Quebec *Rupert' ...

. After becoming widely used in Continental Europe it entered England in its Old French form ''Robert'', where an Old English cognate form (''Hrēodbēorht'', ''Hrodberht'', ''Hrēodbēorð'', ''Hrœdbœrð'', ''Hrœdberð'', ''Hrōðberχtŕ'') had existed before the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conq ...

. The feminine version is Roberta. The Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish form is Roberto. Robert is also a common name in many Germanic languages, including English, German, Dutch, Norwegian,

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

Scots Scots usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: * Scots language, a language of the West Germanic language family native to Scotland * Scots people, a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland * Scoti, a Latin na ...

, Danish, and Icelandic. It can be used as a French, Polish, Irish, Finnish, Romanian, and Estonian name as well.

Variations

Popularity and trivia

The name ''Robert'' was a royal name in France, Germany, Scotland and England during the medieval period, and was the name of several kings, dukes, and other rulers and noblemen. It was one of the most popular male names in medieval Europe, likely due to its frequent usage amongst royalty and nobility. To this day, ''Robert'' remains one of the most frequently given male names. ''Robert'' was in the top 10 most given boys' names in the United States for 47 years, from 1925 to 1972. While some names become less frequently used due to negative associations, ''Robert'' is still widely used despite its connection to many negatively evaluated historical figures. In Italy during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the form of the name, Roberto, briefly acquired a new meaning derived from, and referring to the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The name's second component, ''*berhta-'', is the original root for the modern English word "bright".

People named Robert

Royalty

;Kings of Scotland *

Robert I of Scotland Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventual ...

(1274–1329) ("Robert the Bruce"), king and national hero of Scotland, legendary for his victory at the

Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn ( gd, Blàr Allt nam Bànag or ) fought on June 23–24, 1314, was a victory of the army of King of Scots Robert the Bruce over the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. It was ...

, one of the most prominent and skilled warriors of his time who freed Scotland from the English rule during the

Wars of Scottish Independence The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...

* Robert II of Scotland (Robert Stewart) (1316–1390), one of the principal commanders at the Battle of Halidon Hill * Robert III of Scotland (c. 1337/40–1406) ;Kings of France * Robert I of France (c.866–923) * Robert II of France (972–1031) ;King of Naples *

Robert of Naples Robert of Anjou ( it, Roberto d'Angiò), known as Robert the Wise ( it, Roberto il Saggio; 1276 – 20 January 1343), was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of ...

(1276–1343) ;King of Germany * Robert of Germany (Rupertus,

Rex Romanorum King of the Romans ( la, Rex Romanorum; german: König der Römer) was the title used by the king of Germany following his election by the princes from the reign of Henry II (1002–1024) onward. The title originally referred to any German k ...

) (1352–1410) ;King of Hungary and Croatia * Charles I Robert (1288–1342) ;King of Bulgaria * Robert of Bulgaria, Tsar of the Kingdom of Bulgaria (1894–1943), one of the principal commanders of

European theatre of World War II The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main Theater (warfare), theatres of combat during World War II. It saw heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years, starting with Nazi Germany, Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 Sept ...

;Dukes of Normandy * Robert I, Duke of Normandy (1000–1035), also known as Robert the Magnificent or Robert the Devil; father of William the Conqueror * Robert Curthose (c.1051–1134, son of William the Conqueror, claimant to throne of Kingdom of England. ;Duke of Chartres *

Prince Robert, Duke of Chartres Prince Robert, Duke of Chartres (Robert Philippe Louis Eugène Ferdinand; 9 November 1840 – 5 December 1910), was the son of Prince Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, and thus grandson of King Louis-Philippe of France. He fought for the U ...

, Crown Prince of France (1840–1910) ;Duke of Parma * Robert I, Duke of Parma (1848–1907) ;Count of Flanders * Robert I, Count of Flanders (c.1035–1093) * Robert II, Count of Flanders (c.1065–1111). ;Crown Prince of Bavaria * Robert I, crown prince of Bavaria (1869–1955), also known as Prince Rupprecht, last heir apparent to the Bavarian throne. ;Latin Emperor and Emperor of Constantinople * Robert I, Latin Emperor (d. 1228), Emperor of the Latin Empire and Constantinopole ;Duke of Sicily and Prince of Benevento *

Robert Guiscard Robert Guiscard (; Modern ; – 17 July 1085) was a Norman adventurer remembered for the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily. Robert was born into the Hauteville family in Normandy, went on to become count and then duke of Apulia and Calab ...

(c. 1015–1085), Norman nobleman, adventurer and explorer, leader of the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily

Medieval figures

* Robert III of Artois (1287–1342), Lord of Conches-en-Ouche, of Domfront, and of Mehun-sur-Yèvre, Earl of Richmond. *

Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury Robert de Bellême ( – after 1130), seigneur de Bellême (or Belèsme), seigneur de Montgomery, viscount of the Hiémois, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury and Count of Ponthieu, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, and one of the most prominent figures ...

, Anglo-Norman nobleman, and one of the most prominent figures in the competition for the succession to England and Normandy, member of the

House of Bellême House of Bellême also referred to as the Family of Bellême was an important seigneurial family during the 10th through the 12th centuries. Members of this family held the important castles of Bellême, Alençon, Domfront and Sées as well ...

* Robert de Craon (died 1147), the second Grand Master of the

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon ( la, Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici), also known as the Order of Solomon's Temple, the Knights Templar, or simply the Templars, was a Catholic military order, o ...

from June 1136 until his death. * Robert de Juilly (died 1377), Grand Master of the

Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

from 1374 to his death * Robert IV of Sablé (1150–1193), eleventh Grand Master of the Knights Templar from 1191 to 1192 and Lord of Cyprus from 1191 to 1192.

Folk heroes

* Robert Huntington, known as

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is de ...

, legendary heroic outlaw and nobleman originally depicted in English folklore, highly skilled archer and swordsman, sometimes regarded as a national hero of England * Robert Roy Macgregor (1671–1734), Scottish outlaw and national hero

Nobility

* Robert Benson, 1st Baron Bingley * Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey * Robert Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury * Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth * Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset * Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, British lawyer, politician and diplomat, one of the architects of the

League of Nations The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide Intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by ...

; * Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury *

Sir Robert Dashwood, 1st Baronet Sir Robert Dashwood, 1st Baronet (1662–1734) was an English politician. Life The son of George Dashwood, a London merchant, and Margaret Perry, he was a first cousin of Sir Samuel Dashwood and Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet (the fortunes ...

, English politician *

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, Knight of the Garter, KG, Privy Counsellor, PC (; 10 November 1565 – 25 February 1601) was an English nobleman and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was ...

, English nobleman and military commander * Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, British statesman and military commander, governor-general of British Empire * Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, British nobleman and military leader in

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians ("Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of Kingdom of England, England's governanc ...

and

Roundhead Roundheads were the supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I of England and his supporters, known as the Cavaliers or Royalists, who ...

* Robert Finlay, 1st Viscount Finlay,

Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...

* Sir Robert Gordon, 1st Baronet, Scottish politician and courtier * Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke, English Baron, military commander and

general * Robert Harley, British statesman and Master of the Mint * Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington,

Robert Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke Robert Henry Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke and 9th Earl of Montgomery (19 September 1791 – 25 April 1862) was a British nobleman and peer. He was in line for great estates and position as head of the distinguished Herbert family and heir to ...

* Sir Robert Inglis, 2nd Baronet, English Conservative politician; * Robert Kerr, 1st Earl of Ancram * Robert Kerr, 1st Marquess of Lothian * Sir Robert Kingsmill, 1st Baronet, Royal navy officer * Robert III de La Marck, ''Seigneur'' of Fleuranges,

Marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...

* Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale, Scottish nobleman and military commander *

Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell (1493 – 9 July 1546) was a member of the Council of Regency (1536) of the Kingdom of Scotland, Regent of the Isle of Arran and like his father before him patriarch of the House of Maxwell/Clan Maxwell. A distingui ...

, Scottish soldier and nobleman, member of the Council of Regency of the Kingdom of Scotland, Regent of the Isle of Arran, patriarch of the House of Maxwell/ Clan Maxwell * Robert Paston, 1st Earl of Yarmouth * Sir Robert Peel, 1st Baronet, British politician and industrialist and one of early textile manufacturers of the

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...

, father of Sir

Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Excheque ...

, twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull * Robert Raymond, 1st Baron Raymond * Robert Reid, 1st Earl Loreburn * Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick * Robert Rolfe, 1st Baron Cranworth,

* Lord Robert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford, British peer and politician * Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth, British nobleman and Conservative politician * Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry * Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, Irish/British statesman, and British

Foreign Secretary The secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, known as the foreign secretary, is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Seen as ...

Religious figures and saints

* Saint Robert Bellarmine (died in 1621), Jesuit

Doctor of the Church Doctor of the Church (Latin: ''doctor'' "teacher"), also referred to as Doctor of the Universal Church (Latin: ''Doctor Ecclesiae Universalis''), is a title given by the Catholic Church to saints recognized as having made a significant contribu ...

, one of the leaders of

Roman Inquisition The Roman Inquisition, formally the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, was a system of partisan tribunals developed by the Holy See of the Roman Catholic Church, during the second half of the 16th century, respon ...

and Galileo affair * Saint Robert of Bury (died 1181) * Robert Holman, 36th

Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. Th ...

of Ten Duinen Abbey * Saint Robert of Molesme (d. 1111), founder of the

Cistercian Order The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Sain ...

* Saint Robert of Newminster (d. 1159), established the Abbey of Newminster at Morpeth, Northumberland * Roberto de Nobili (1577–1656), Italian Jesuit missionary to Southern India * Roberto de' Nobili (1541–1559),

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

cardinal * Robert de Sorbon (1201–1274), French theologian and founder of College of Sorbonne * Saint Robert de Turlande (d. 1067), founding abbot of the Abbey of Casa Dei, also called Chaise-Dieu

Presidents and prime ministers

;British Prime Ministers * Lord Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, British statesman, serving as Prime Minister three times for a total *

Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, KG PC FRS (5 December 1661 – 21 May 1724) was an English statesman and peer of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as a Whig, before defecting to a new Tory ...

, Lord High Treasurer of the British Empire, sometimes regarded as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain * Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, British statesman and

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As moder ...

from 1812 to 1827, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies * Sir

, British statesman who served as

, father of modern British policing, leader of Peelite, founder of Conservative Party of United Kingdom and the Metropolitan Police Service * Sir Robert Walpole, British statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain ;Australian Prime Ministers * Robert "Bob" Hawke, Australian politician who served as Prime Minister of Australia and Leader of the Labor Party * Sir Robert Menzies, Australian politician who twice served as Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1966 ;Presidents and Prime Ministers from North America * Sir Robert Borden, Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the eighth

prime minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority the elected House of Commons; as suc ...

* Robert F. Kennedy, American politician and lawyer who served as the 64th

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...

, United States Senator for New York, brother of the U.S. president John F. Kennedy ;Presidents and Prime Ministers from Asia / Oceania *

Robert Kocharyan Robert Sedraki Kocharyan ( hy, Ռոբերտ Սեդրակի Քոչարյան ; born 31 August 1954) is an Armenian politician. He served as the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic from 1994 to 1997 and Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh fr ...

, Armenian politician who served as the first president of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the second president of

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ...

between 1998 and 2008 * Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton, English statesman,

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician, and poet, who served as Viceroy of India (Governor-General) between 1876 and 1880 and British Ambassador to France from 1887 to 1891 * Sir

Robert Stout Sir Robert Stout (28 September 1844 – 19 July 1930) was a New Zealand politician who was the 13th premier of New Zealand on two occasions in the late 19th century, and later Chief Justice of New Zealand. He was the only person to hold both ...

, New Zealand politician who served as 13th

Prime Minister of New Zealand The prime minister of New Zealand ( mi, Te pirimia o Aotearoa) is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, took office on 26 October 2017. The prime minister (inform ...

on two occasions in the 19th century, and later Chief Justice of New Zealand ;Presidents and Prime Ministers from Europe * Robert Abela, Maltese lawyer and politician, currently serving as the 14th prime minister of

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

* Robert Fico, Slovak politician who served as

Prime Minister of Slovakia The prime minister of Slovakia, officially the Chairman of the government of the Slovak Republic ( Slovak: ''Predseda vlády Slovenskej republiky''), commonly referred to in Slovakia as ''Predseda vlády'' or informally as ''Premiér'', is the ...

from 2012 to 2018 * Robert Haab, Swiss politician and President of Switzerland * Robert Schuman, Luxembourg-born French statesman, Christian Democrat, activist, Prime Minister of France, a reformist Minister of Finance and a Foreign Minister, one of the founders of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...

, the Council of Europe and

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

; * Robert Themptander, Swedish politician and public official who served as

Prime Minister of Sweden The prime minister ( sv, statsminister ; literally translating to "Minister of State") is the head of government of Sweden. The prime minister and their cabinet (the government) exercise executive authority in the Kingdom of Sweden and are su ...

from 1884 to 1888 ;Presidents and Prime Ministers from Central / South America * Roberto Micheletti, Honduran politician who served as the president of Honduras following the 2009 Honduran coup d'état * Roberto María Ortiz, 19th president of

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

during the Infamous Decade * Roberto Suazo Córdova, 29th President of Honduras * Roberto Sánchez Vilella,

Governor of Puerto Rico The governor of Puerto Rico ( es, gobernador de Puerto Rico) is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and commander-in-chief of the Puerto Rico National Guard. The governor has a duty to enforce local laws, to conv ...

Head of State A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state (polity), state#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international p ...

and

Head of Government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, ...

of Puerto Rico

Dictators

* Baron

Robert Clive Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, (29 September 1725 – 22 November 1774), also known as Clive of India, was the first British Governor of the Bengal Presidency. Clive has been widely credited for laying the foundation of the Britis ...

(1725–1774), British army officer and

privateer A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...

who established the military and political supremacy of the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Sout ...

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

, served as the Commander-in-Chief of British India * Robert Mugabe (1924–2019), former Zimbabwean politician and revolutionary, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and President (Dictator) from 1987 to 2017

Secretaries of Defense

Robert Gates Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was originally appointed by president George W. Bush ...

(1943), American statesman, scholar, intelligence analyst, and university president who served as the director of

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...

(CIA),

Director of Central Intelligence The director of central intelligence (DCI) was the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency from 1946 to 2005, acting as the principal intelligence advisor to the president of the United States and the United States National Security ...

and 22nd

United States Secretary of Defense The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The ...

from 2006 to 2011 * Robert A. Lovett (1895–1986), fourth

Robert McNamara Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He remains the ...

(1916–2009), American business executive and the eighth

Wartime figures and military leaders

;American army * Robert N. Adams, American Brevet Brigadier General during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

* Robert S. Beightler, American military officer, major General, military governor of Okinawa, War Department General Staff, commander of the 37th Infantry Division * Robert C. Bradshaw, American Brevet Brigadier General during the

* Robert C. Buchanan, American military officer, one of the principal commanders of

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", cross ...

and Rogue River Wars * Robert Lee Bullard, senior officer in the United States Army during World War I * Robert L. Eichelberger, general officer in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

who commanded the Eighth United States Army in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II * Robert L. Ghormley, admiral in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

, serving as Commander of South Pacific Area during World War II * Robert Hoke, Confederate major general during the American Civil War * Robert B. Johnston, retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general whose last duty assignment was as Commander, Marine Forces Atlantic Marine Forces Europe and II Marine Expeditionary Force *

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

, American and Confederate general, supreme commander of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during

Robert A. Lewis Robert Alvin Lewis (October 18, 1917 – June 18, 1983) was a United States Army Air Forces officer serving in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He was the co-pilot and aircraft commander of the '' Enola Gay'', the B-29 Superfortress bom ...

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

officer serving in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, one of the pilots of the Enola G *

Robert McDade Robert Alexander McDade (August 11, 1922 – October 14, 2009) was a United States Army colonel. He is best known as a Lieutenant colonel (United States), lieutenant colonel in command of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, at the Battle of ...

, United States Army colonel, * Robert McGowan Littlejohn, major general in the United States Army, leader of

War Assets Administration The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Or ...

* Robert C. Murphy, American colonel during the

* Robert "Robin" Olds Jr., American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force * Robert Olds Sr., general officer in the US Army Air Forces * Robert Patterson, Irish-born United States major general during the

Robert W. Porter Jr. Robert William Porter Jr. (April 29, 1908 – April 22, 2000) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command from 1965 to 1969. Military career Porter was born in Alma, Nebraska, on Ap ...

four-star general who served as Commander in Chief,

United States Southern Command The United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), located in Doral, Florida in Greater Miami, is one of the eleven unified combatant commands in the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for providing contingency planning, o ...

from 1965 to 1969 * Robert Gould Shaw, American officer in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

, commander of the first all-

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

regiment * Robert Sink, senior United States Army officer who fought during World War II, the Korean War, and early parts of the Vietnam War *

Robert G. Smith (colonel) Robert G. Smith (1854–1923) was an Irish-born American Brevet Brigadier General of the Spanish–American War. He was known as the Colonel of the 4th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment and a notable figure during the early 20th-Century of ...

(1854-1923), American colonel of the Spanish–American War * Robert F. Stockton, United States Navy commodore,

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and p ...

from

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

, Military Governor of California * Robert A. Theobald, United States Navy officer who served in World War I and World War II, achiever of the rank of rear admiral, the air forces commander during

Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawa ...

Robert F. Travis Brigadier General Robert Falligant Travis (26 December 1904 – 5 August 1950) was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. A 1928 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, Travis saw action as ...

general during World War II * Robert Toombs, American lawyer, planter, army general, and politician from Georgia who became one of the organizers of the

Confederacy Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...

and served as its first Secretary of State * Robert Treat, American colonial leader, militia officer and governor of the

Connecticut Colony The ''Connecticut Colony'' or ''Colony of Connecticut'', originally known as the Connecticut River Colony or simply the River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636 as a settl ...

between 1683 and 1698 and the founder of

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat, seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and the second largest city within the New Yo ...

Robert C. Tyler Robert Charles Tyler (December 4, 1832 – April 16, 1865) was a Confederate Brigadier General during the American Civil War. He was the last general killed in the conflict. He commanded the 15th Tennessee Infantry at Belmont and Shiloh, and the ...

, Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War *

Robert O. Tyler Robert Ogden Tyler (December 31, 1831 – December 1, 1874) was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was commander of the Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of ...

, American soldier who served as a general in the

during the American Civil War ;British / Scottish army * Sir Robert Abercromby, British general * Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the world-wide Boy Scout Movement * Robert Blake, British Royal Navy officer and one of the most important military commanders of the

Commonwealth of England The Commonwealth was the political structure during the period from 1649 to 1660 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were governed as a republic after the end of the Second English Civil War and the trial and e ...

* Robert Brooke-Popham, senior commander in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

and leader of Operation Matador (1941) * Robert Brownrigg, British statesman, general and soldier who brought the last part of Sri Lanka under British rule, Governors of British Ceylon, General Officer Commanding, Ceylon * Sir Robert Calder, British naval officer * Robert H. Dick, Scottish soldier * Robert Rollo Gillespie, officer in the British Army *

Robert Haining General Sir Robert Hadden Haining, (28 July 1882 – 15 September 1959) was a senior British Army officer during the Second World War. Early life and education Haining was born in Chester, the eldest son of Dr. William Haining and Mary Ellen R ...

, British Army officer * Robert Peverell Hichens, British Lieutenant Commander and the most highly decorated officer of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) * Robert Kekewich, British Army officer * Sir Robert Mansell, English Royal Navy officer and a member of parliament (MP), mostly for Welsh constituencies * Robert Monckton, officer of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

and also a colonial

administrator Administrator or admin may refer to: Job roles Computing and internet * Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database * Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum * N ...

British North America British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English overseas possessions, English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland (island), Newfound ...

* Robert Munro, 18th Baron of Foulis, known as the Black Baron, Scottish soldier and military warlord * Robert Monro, Scottish general during

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battl ...

* Sir Robert Moray, Scottish soldier, statesman, diplomat, judge, spy and natural philosopher, one of the founders of

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, r ...

and

Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

Robert Orme The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

, British soldier and military leader * Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet, British Army officer during the American Revolutionary War * Robert Rogers,

American colonial American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States, including First Period English (late-medieval), French Colonial, Spanish Colonial, Dutch Colonial, and Georgian. T ...

frontiersman and officer in the British Army, commander of Rogers' Rangers * Robert Ross, officer in the British Army, born in Ireland * Robert Sale, British army officer * Sir Robert Stopford, distinguished officer in the Royal Navy * Robert Stanford Tuck, British fighter pilot,

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

, and

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

, member of the

, war hero of World War II *

Robert Sturges Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Grice Sturges (14 July 1891 – 12 September 1970) was a senior Royal Marines officer who fought in both the First World War and Second World War. Military career Sturges joined the Royal Navy in 1908. Commissioned ...

, British Royal marine general * Robert "Roy" Urquhart, British Army officer *

Robert Whittaker Robert Whitaker or Whittaker may refer to: *Robert Whittaker (fighter) (born 1990), Australian mixed martial artist *Robert Whitaker (equestrian) (born 1983), British showjumper *Robert Whitaker (author) (active since 1989), American author *Robert ...

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

banker and a senior officer in Britain's part-time Territorial Army (TA), chief of staff at Anti-Aircraft Command during World War II ;Australian army * Robert A. Little,

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

fighter pilot and the most successful Australian

;German / Austrian army * Robert von Eggenberg, Austrian colonel-general * Robert Gysae, a German U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine during World War II * Robert Ritter von Greim,

German Field Marshal Field marshal (german: Generalfeldmarschall) was usually the highest military rank in various Germany, German armed forces. It had existed, under slightly different names, in several German states since 1631. After the unification of Germany it w ...

and pilot * Robert Kosch, Prussian general in the Imperial German army * Robert Zapp, German U-boat commander in World War II ;Irish army * Robert Emmet, Irish Republican, orator and rebel leader ; Cuban army * Roberto Rodriguez Fernandez, Cuban revolutionary ;Italian army * Roberto Farinacci, leading Italian Fascist politician and important member of the Grand Council of Fascism, Secretary of National Fascist Party and one of the leading perpetrators of the Holocaust in Italy ;French army * Robert Nivelle, French artillery officer who led the French forces during

as commander in-chief of French army ;Russian army * Robert Bruce, first chief commander of Saint Petersburg *

Robert Segercrantz The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, ho ...

, Russian general in the Russian Imperial army *

Robert von Ungern-Sternberg Nikolai Robert Maximilian Freiherr von Ungern-Sternberg (russian: link=no, Роман Фёдорович фон Унгерн-Штернберг, translit=Roman Fedorovich fon Ungern-Shternberg; 10 January 1886 – 15 September 1921), often refer ...

, also known as The Mad Baron or The Bloody White Baron, Austrian-born, Russian Empire's Baltic German anti-Bolshevik lieutenant general in the

Russian Civil War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Russian Civil War , partof = the Russian Revolution and the aftermath of World War I , image = , caption = Clockwise from top left: {{flatlist, *Soldiers ...

* Robert Viren, general, admiral and career naval officer in the

Imperial Russian Navy The Imperial Russian Navy () operated as the navy of the Russian Tsardom and later the Russian Empire from 1696 to 1917. Formally established in 1696, it lasted until dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution of 1917. It developed from ...

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...

Other military

Robert B. Abrams Robert Bruce Abrams (born November 18, 1960) is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who last served as the commander of United States Forces Korea. He concurrently served as the commander of United Nations Command and commander ...

, four-star

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

in the

* Robert Bartels (1911–1943), German U-boat commander in World War II * Robert Grierson Combe, Scottish-Canadian military officer * Robert E. Cushman Jr.,

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...

who served as the 25th

Commandant of the Marine Corps The commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is normally the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions. The CMC reports directly to the sec ...

* Robert Duff, British Royal Navy officer *

Robert Kajuga The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, ho ...

, national president and leader of the MRND-affiliated extremist militia, the Interahamwe * Robert J. Miller, United States Army Special Forces soldier * Robert Miller Montague,

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in the

* Robert Neller, retired

four-star

who served as the 37th

Robert H. Reed Robert Harvey Reed (October 10, 1929 – December 24, 2017) was a General in the United States Air Force and the former chief of staff of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Biography Early life Reed was born in 1929, in Elkhorn Ci ...

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...

and the former chief of staff of the

Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is the military headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) that commands all NATO operations worldwide. ACO's and SHAPE's commander is t ...

Robert Rheault Robert Bradley Rheault (October 31, 1925 – October 16, 2013) was an American colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces who served as commander of the First Special Forces Group in Okinawa, and the Fifth Special Forces Group in Vietnam from May ...

, American colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces * Robert Roddam, British Royal Navy officer *

Robert M. Shoemaker Robert Morin Shoemaker (February 18, 1924 – June 21, 2017) was a United States Army general and former commander of the United States Army Forces Command. He is also an inductee into the Aviation Hall of Fame. Early life and military caree ...

, United States Army general and former commander of the United States Army Forces Command, inductee into the Aviation Hall of Fame

Nazis and communists

* Robert Eikhe, Latvian

Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

, provincial head of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part o ...

* Robert Grawitz, Nazi German physician and an SS functionary, chief physician of the SS, head of the German Red Cross * Robert Ley, DAF ''Führer'' of Nazi Germany (head of the German Labour Front), high-ranking member of the SS, labour and economical leader of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, founder of

Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post ...

, creator of NSDAP School system *

Robert Mulka Robert Karl Ludwig Mulka (12 April 1895 – 26 April 1969) was an SS-''Hauptsturmführer''. At Auschwitz concentration camp, he was adjutant to the camp commandant, SS-''Obersturmbannführer'' Rudolf Höss, making him second in command of the ...

, German Nazi ''SS- Hauptsturmführer'' and later ''SS- Obersturmführer'', commander of Auschwitz concentration camp *

Robert Ritter Robert Ritter (14 May 1901 – 15 April 1951) was a German racial scientist doctor of psychology and medicine, with a background in child psychiatry and the biology of criminality. In 1936, Ritter was appointed head of the Racial Hygiene and De ...

, Nazi German " racial scientist" doctor of psychology and medicine, with a background in child psychiatry and the biology of criminality * Robert Wagner, ''Gauleiter'' of Gau Baden, ''Gauleiter'' of

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it ha ...

and head of the civil government of Alsace during the Nazi German occupation of France during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Nuclear physicists

* Robert Oppenheimer (1904—1967), American

theoretical physicist Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experim ...

, professor of

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which rel ...

at the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Fran ...

, developer and inventor of the atomic bomb * Robert Serber (1909—1997), American physicist who participated in the Manhattan Project

Explorers

* Robert Ballard, retired United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island *