An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Robbe

by Friedrich Kluge

Robbe, f., ‘sea-dog, seal,’ borrowed from LG., like most ModHG. words with a medial bb (Ebbe, Krabbe, &c.); comp. Du. rob, m., ‘sea-dog, seal’; the equiv. Scand. kobbi, similar in sound (akin to kópr, ‘young sea-dog’), is not allied. The Teut. word, Goth. *silha- (comp. AS. seolh, E. seal, OHG. sëlah, OIc. selr) became obsolete in G. at an early period. The source and history of the LG. term is obscure.