Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Toby
BoyEnglish, Hebrew· “God is good”
- Meaning
- God is good
- Origin
- English, Hebrew
- Pronunciation
- TOH-bee
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #979
- US babies 2025
- 234
- Best rank
- #190 (1975)
- Peak year
- 1975
Meaning and origin of Toby
Toby is an English and Hebrew name that means “God is good”.
Toby is the English short form of Tobias, the Greek form of the Hebrew Toviyyah, "God is good." In the Book of Tobit, Tobias is the son of Tobit, who travels with the archangel Raphael, and a Tobiah also appears in the Book of Nehemiah. Toby has been used in England since the Middle Ages, and literature has given it memorable characters such as Sir Toby Belch in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Uncle Toby in Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy. Today Toby feels friendly, playful and approachable. It can stand on its own or serve as a nickname for Tobias.
Other spellings with the same sound: Tobey, Tobie.
Popularity over time
Toby first appears in US Social Security records in 1882. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 88 different years, starting in 1905. Its best national rank was #190 in 1975, the same year it reached its highest count of 1,191 babies. In 2025, 234 babies were named Toby, and it ranked #979 nationally. That is 37% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #1,689 in 1920, #557 in 1950, #304 in 1980, #535 in 2000, #668 in 2010, and #979 in 2025. Of the 34,846 US boys named Toby since records began, 28% were born in the 1970s, its biggest decade. The 2000s come next, with 4,855 babies. Since 2010, 4,533 more have been named Toby.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Clifton, Heath, Geoffrey, Chadwick, and Cornelius.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Toby ranked highest in Kentucky, Missouri, and Minnesota.
Gender, sound and spelling
About 81% of US babies named Toby over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
Toby is usually pronounced TOH-bee, with two syllables. It has four letters, starts with T and ends in “-by”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Tobey and Tobie.
Middle names for Toby
A few middle names that flow with Toby: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Toby
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Lists that include Toby
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Toby mean?
Toby is an English and Hebrew name that means “God is good”.
What is the origin of the name Toby?
Toby has English and Hebrew roots. Toby is the English short form of Tobias, the Greek form of the Hebrew Toviyyah, "God is good." In the Book of Tobit, Tobias is the son of Tobit, who travels with the archangel Raphael, and a Tobiah also appears in the Book of Nehemiah.
Is Toby a popular name?
Yes. Toby ranked #979 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Toby a boy or girl name?
Toby is mainly a boy's name. About 81% of US babies named Toby over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
How do you pronounce Toby?
Toby is usually pronounced TOH-bee. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings