Babo

Babo

1. a male given name

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

• IPA^(key): [ˈbabo]

Babo m anim (female equivalent Babová)

1. a male surname

• “Babo”, in Příjmení.cz (in Czech)

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).^[1]

• Audio:

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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.

From Karo Batak Babo.

Babo

1. a surname from Karo Batak