Babo

Czech

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbabo]

Proper noun

Babo m anim (female equivalent Babová)

1. a male surname

Declension

Declension of Babo (masculine animate in -o)

	singular	plural
nominative	Babo	Babové
genitive	Baba	Babů
dative	Babovi	Babům
accusative	Baba	Baby
vocative	Babo	Babové
locative	Babovi	Babech
instrumental	Babem	Baby

Further reading

• “Babo”, in Příjmení.cz (in Czech)

German

Etymology

Borrowed from a Southeast European or West Asian language, possibly borrowed multiple times from several languages in different German subcultures. The word was popularised by rapper Haftbefehl (who is of Turkish and Zaza ancestry) in his 2012 single "Chabos wissen wer der Babo ist" ("Boys know who the boss is"), and the most likely derivation is from Zazaki babo (“father”), possibly influenced by Turkish baba (“father, crime boss”). The word was however in use prior to Haftbefehl, and these isolated uses might derive from Serbo-Croatian babo (“father”) or Carpathian Romani babo (“father”) (alongside the Romani-derived Chabo).

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Babo m (genitive Babos, plural Babos)

1. (slang) A boss, especially in a gang or criminal organisation.
2. (slang) Someone cool and dominant.
   • 2022 December 9, Miriam Keilbach, “Ein Bürgerbabo: Kult-Straßenbahnfahrer Peter Wirth will OB von Frankfurt werden”, in RND‎^[1]:

     Als Bahnbabo wurde Straßenbahnfahrer Peter Wirth zur lokalen Kultfigur und zum Social-Media-Star.

     As the "Rail Boss", tram driver Peter Wirth became a local cult figure and social media star.

Indonesian

Etymology

From Karo Batak Babo.

Proper noun

Babo

1. a surname from Karo Batak