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Tobias

♂ Boy

Pronounced toh-BY-us /toʊˈbaɪəs/High

Meaning: God is good; Yahweh is goodHigh

In 30 seconds: A distinguished biblical name meaning 'God is good.' Tobias has a literary, European gravitas — the full, stately version behind the nickname Toby — beloved by parents who want substance with their style.
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Origin HighHebrew, Greek
MeaningGod is good; Yahweh is good
U.S. rank (2025)#283 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births1,201 boys (0.07% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 29,294

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201618802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Tobias is the Greek and Latin form of the Hebrew name Toviyah (טוֹבִיָּה), composed of tov (good) and Yah (God, Yahweh), meaning 'God is good.' Tobias appears as the son of Tobit in the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit, a beloved story of divine providence and the archangel Raphael.

Tobias has been used across Europe — especially in Germany, Scandinavia, and England — since the medieval period. In the United States, it entered the top 200 for boys in the 2010s as parents sought biblical names that felt fresh and literary. The character Tobias Funke in Arrested Development kept it in pop-culture view.

Did you know? The Book of Tobit, one of the deuterocanonical books of the Bible, tells the story of Tobit and his son Tobias — a narrative of faith, healing, and the archangel Raphael in disguise.
Overall data confidence 95%
Behind the Name — Tobias — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

TobyTobiToviah

Nicknames

TobyTobe

Famous Bearers

  • ★Tobias (Book of Tobit) (c. 3rd century BCE)
    Son of Tobit in the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit, guided by the archangel Raphael.

If you like Tobias…

Elias— Greek-form biblical name with the same Old Testament depth and literary weight
Silas— Latin-Hebrew biblical name with the same gentle scholarly gravitas
Atticus— literary three-syllable name with the same intellectual, bookish charm
Felix— Latin classic with the same European-heritage two-to-three-syllable elegance

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tobias mean?

Tobias is a Greek-Latin form of the Hebrew Toviyah, meaning 'God is good' or 'Yahweh is good.'

How do you pronounce Tobias?

It is said toh-BY-us /toʊˈbaɪəs/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Tobias a boy or girl name?

Tobias is used almost exclusively as a boys' name.

How popular is Tobias?

Tobias entered the U.S. top 200 for boys in the mid-2020s and is very popular in Germany and Scandinavia.