Toddler keeps calling out for a ‘Bobby’ at Goodwill — the parents said 'we don't know a Bobby'

Kids can be strange, but still adorable. There is a reason why they are omnipresent in horror movies. A TikTok user, Anna Durham (@annadurham29), made waves on the internet with an eerie revelation about her toddler niece. In a viral video, the aunt showed her niece calling out to someone as they strolled around a retail store. While it may seem ordinary at first, the viewers eventually realized that the baby was looking for a person who did not exist.

The video unfolds with the toddler, Dani, sitting on a shopping cart while her aunt takes her around a Goodwill store. “Bobby! Bobby!” the baby girl kept yelling to an almost empty store. Looking adorable in an orange T-shirt and floral sweatpants, Dani persistently calls out a ‘Bobby’ while her aunt gently tries to calm her down. “He is not in here. Who is that?” she said. Meanwhile, in the caption, the aunt shared the story behind the oddly hilarious footage. She revealed that Dani kept yelling the strange name, but there was nobody familiar in their family or even as an acquaintance. 

“Please enjoy this video of Dani yelling for Bobby in Goodwill. We don’t know a Bobby, there is no Bobby on a TV show she watches. Is Bobby a ghost? Is Bobby her imaginary friend? Nobody knows, but it’s really funny,” the caption stated. The mystery behind the video attracted over 2.4 million views and more than 225,000 likes from people. The comments became a fan fest of jokes and humor, most people referring to the Bobbys they know in their lives. One intrigued person (@tinaaaaaa30) said, “She’s got some business to do with Bobby.” While another (@thealchemistscloset) noted, “The last Bobby with the point of her finger… You know, she meant business.” 

A third viewer (@ferris.wheelz) had a rather spooky opinion. “It’s Goodwill. Full of other people’s things. Bobby may be attracted to something in there,” the comment read. “She’s clearly saying Barbie in a Boston accent,” @awkwardasflock joked. Similarly, @leahlew7 mused, “My husband’s name is Bobby. He said he will call her back soon.” @user1270561525 shared, “Loud babies in stores crack me up.” A mom (@yamegster) related to the video and said, “Not my son saying, ‘Yeah?!’ whose name isn’t Bobby.” It is more likely that Dani had an imaginary friend named Bobby, which is a natural feature in kids of her age. 

According to the BBC, imaginary friends are commonly reported in children aged three to six. They tend to leave them behind at age 8. More importantly, it is common in girls and firstborns. About 65% of kids like to whip up an imaginary friend growing up, and it speaks about their imaginative, sociable, and interests in the world. Previously, it was thought to be linked with mental health issues in children and was debunked due to a lack of scientific evidence. The report stated, “The easiest way to think of your child’s imaginary friend is that it offers them training in working out the best way to sort out differences, improve their relationships, and find ways to overcome new challenges.”

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