Wild Theory.

[raidem]

I think Bob was messed with multiple times.  Bob had information cut out of him prior to Harry's ownership.  Proximate to Harry's ownership, Bob or someone decided to restrict parts of Bob close to these missing pieces.  Harry's order for Bob to remember gave permission for those collected memories to express themselves which altered Bob's personality.  When Harry orders Bob to excise those memories, that creates the distinct evil Bob.

[Quantus]

We have a WoJ that the reason Butter's Bob is so much like Harry's Bob is because Butters met Bob during that time and established a relationship with that personality.  It might not have anything to do with having a name.  (Or maybe it's a part of the latter). But I wouldn't attribute it automatically to a naming power of Harry's.

Agreed.  There is still a small but noticeable shift from Harry-Bob to Butters-Bob, both in color and personality.  Butters' Bob is a tiny bit more Selfless and Kind, whereas Harry's Bob will bargain for a night off while a frog demon is trying to rip your face off.  Granted, Butter's is an immensely better owner than Harry, mostly because he considers himself a roommate rather than an owner. 

[exartiem]

I just remembered something.  Bob is deathly terrified of Mab due to some daliances in his past.  From Bob's description of these events, it doesn't sound like Kob did them.  So the Bob personality we know might be the base one that Ettienne created.  Kemmler corrupted Etob into Kob.  Thus, when Kemmler/Justin ordered Kob to keep his secret, Kob went into the background and let Etob take over to deal with Harry.  Etob then becomes Harry's Bob.

[Kindler]

I just remembered something.  Bob is deathly terrified of Mab due to some daliances in his past.  From Bob's description of these events, it doesn't sound like Kob did them.  So the Bob personality we know might be the base one that Ettienne created.  Kemmler corrupted Etob into Kob.  Thus, when Kemmler/Justin ordered Kob to keep his secret, Kob went into the background and let Etob take over to deal with Harry.  Etob then becomes Harry's Bob.

Fair point. Either Ettiene's Bob is closer to the Bob we know, or Bob learned how to kill immortals in the past few decades, which seems a bit unlikely. Wasn't Bob's original deal with Ettiene partly to get away from Mab?

[Quantus]

Fair point. Either Ettiene's Bob is closer to the Bob we know, or Bob learned how to kill immortals in the past few decades, which seems a bit unlikely. Wasn't Bob's original deal with Ettiene partly to get away from Mab?

All we know about his original deal was that it was Service in exchange for a Sanctum in the Mortal World.  And Based on how Bob described it in CD it isnt anything specific or personal between Bob and Mab, Bob is simply afraid of ANY immortal that might have an interest in keeping that particular secret.

I just remembered something.  Bob is deathly terrified of Mab due to some daliances in his past.  From Bob's description of these events, it doesn't sound like Kob did them.  So the Bob personality we know might be the base one that Ettienne created.  Kemmler corrupted Etob into Kob.  Thus, when Kemmler/Justin ordered Kob to keep his secret, Kob went into the background and let Etob take over to deal with Harry.  Etob then becomes Harry's Bob.

I dont think this is how it works.  Bob doesnt (normally) Change because of major warping external forces, he changes to adapt to his new owner each time, and we know he's been passed down Wizard to Wizard for centuries, with only the last 100 years actually (barely) accounted for.  But we do have WOJ that his personality differences are specifically results of the Owner at the time of their introduction, which is Why Bob resembles a Horny 16yo boy and why Butter's Bob is very similar to the Harry-Bob that Butters first met.  There would have been a bunch of wildly different Bob is the past, as different as his Owners.

[Griffyn612]

I just remembered something.  Bob is deathly terrified of Mab due to some daliances in his past.  From Bob's description of these events, it doesn't sound like Kob did them.  So the Bob personality we know might be the base one that Ettienne created.  Kemmler corrupted Etob into Kob.  Thus, when Kemmler/Justin ordered Kob to keep his secret, Kob went into the background and let Etob take over to deal with Harry.  Etob then becomes Harry's Bob.

Basically this, but there would have been Proto-Bob that existed first.  A SoI that got info he shouldn't have and realized it was going to get him killed.  So he went to the mortal world and hid, where he ran into Etienne.  He made a deal, and began modeling himself on the mortal that possessed him.  Then we had Etob, however many more (because there would seem to be a significant gap between the two, as Kemmler only had Bob for a short time of his existence), then Kob, Dob, Bob, and now Wob.

Remember, Bob is approximate 1,000 years old (circa 1,000 AD?), ran into Etienne around 1400 or so, but didn't come into Kemmler's possession until 1920 or so.

[jonas]

We have a WoJ that the reason Butter's Bob is so much like Harry's Bob is because Butters met Bob during that time and established a relationship with that personality.  It might not have anything to do with having a name.  (Or maybe it's a part of the latter). But I wouldn't attribute it automatically to a naming power of Harry's.

I'm not, i'm giving it to giving a name, a name which is attributed to the self same thing by others as an identity, a mask.
If you really think about what the woj says.. Bob from Butters is directly effected by how Butters perceives Bob, by belief of whom he perceived him to be.
I see strong indicators that Bob is nothing less than an immortal spirit(citation on immortal, inconclusive) tied to reality visa vi contract that defines his existence.... and the kicker is I can replace 'Bob is' with 'Mantles are' and still be on par with what I think. Bob is directly tied to whomever holds his skull last, is effected by them and vice versa, he uses it as his method of 'rent'. It's my belief Mantles do the same with the host directly, which is why the Sidhe whom are largely Mantles are more part of our reality than other immortals and those whom exist, like Hades, but whom have no right's to the mortal realm.