The language__Philippine forms are borrowed from language__Spanish, and language__Tetun bobu from language__Portuguese. The similarity of these words to other forms in Indonesia is attributed to chance.
| WMP | ||
| Tagalog | bóbo | simpleton |
| búbo | clown | |
| Cebuano | búbu | deeply stupid, idiotic |
| Acehnese | bóbó | to babble, chatter |
| Sangir | boboʔ | mute, dumb |
| Tontemboan | wowoʔ | unable to speak, mute |
| Proto-Sangiric | boboʔ | dumb, mute |
| Bikol | bóbo | clown, buffoon, jester |
| CMP | ||
| Sika | bobo-labo | speak nonsense |
| Tetun | bobu | buffoon, clown |