FromMiddle High Germanbuobe(“knave”), fromOld High GermanBuobo, a male given name from*buobo, fromProto-West Germanic*babō, fromProto-Germanic*bō-, a stem meaning "father, brother, close male relation".
Cognate withGermanBube(“(naughty) boy”),Dutchboef(“rascal, thief”),Saterland FrisianBaabe(“father, dad”),Englishbabe(“baby”) andboy(“knave, boy”),Icelandicbófi(“bandit”).
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