A video of a toddler yelling for “Bobby” in a Goodwill store has racked up 1.2 million views in just one day — but there’s one big mystery: who is Bobby?
In the now-viral TikTok, user Anna Durham (@annadurham29) shared a clip of her niece Dani confidently shouting, “Bobby!” over and over again while wandering through the aisles of Goodwill. The kicker? No one in their family knows a Bobby. There’s no Bobby on any of the TV shows Dani watches either. Naturally, the internet has theories.
@annadurham29 please enjoy this video of Dani YELLING for Bobby in goodwill. We don’t know a Bobby, there is no Bobby’s on a tv show she watches. Is Bobby a ghost? Is Bobby her imaginary friend? Nobody knows, but it’s really funny #fyp #niece ♬ original sound – Anna Durham29
“Bobby owes her some money,” joked @Jo, racking up 39.6K likes. Another user, @mama_munster, commented, “My husband is Bobby and this is me when I can’t find him in a store,” while @user8830785928884 joked, “She wants to talk to Bobby about his extended car warranty.”
Related: Mom shares hilarious texts from dad struggling to decode toddler-speak
Others wondered if it could be a ghost situation. “Is Bobby a ghost? Is Bobby her imaginary friend?” Durham asked in the caption.
Imaginary friends are more common — and more beneficial — than many people realize. According to child psychologists, imaginary friends typically appear between ages 2 and 7 and can serve as a way for kids to work through feelings, develop social skills, and practice problem-solving. Dr. Marjorie Taylor, author of Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them, found that up to 65% of children have imaginary friends at some point, and they’re usually a sign of healthy emotional development.
Another theory floated by commenters is that Dani wasn’t saying “Bobby” at all. @Awkwardasflock wrote, “She’s clearly saying Barbie in her Boston accent,” which sparked a debate in the replies. Even Microsoft Edge weighed in: “Waiting for Bobby’s POV to drop.”
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Whether Bobby is a ghost, an imaginary friend, or just a toddler mispronunciation, one thing’s for sure: Dani’s got the internet hooked.
