Coby

♂ Boy

Pronounced KOH-bee /ˈkoʊ.bi/Medium

Meaning: Diminutive of Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqov, 'supplanter' / 'holder of the heel'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Coby is a short, friendly diminutive of Jacob, which comes from the Hebrew Ya'aqov, meaning 'supplanter' or 'holder of the heel'.

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Origin MediumEnglish, Dutch

MeaningDiminutive of Jacob, from Hebrew Ya'aqov, 'supplanter' / 'holder of the heel'.

U.S. rank (2025)#1874 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births84 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2001

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,481

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Coby is a pet form of Jacob, a biblical name from the Hebrew Ya'aqov. In the scripture Jacob is born grasping his twin's heel, which gives the name its dual sense of 'holder of the heel' and 'supplanter'. Coby clips that long-rooted name down to something casual and modern.

It sits among many forms of Jacob, from the nickname Jake to the Arabic Yacoub and Yakub, with Koby as a near-identical respelling. The shared Hebrew root ties this whole spread of names together.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Coby is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Coby — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

JakeJebKobyYacoubYakub

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Coby Bell (1975-)
American actor known for Burn Notice and The Game
★Coby White (2000-)
American NBA basketball player

If you like Coby…

Jacob— The full name Coby shortens, from Hebrew Ya'aqov.

Koby— A listed near-twin spelling of the same diminutive.

Jake— Another short form of Jacob, listed alongside Coby.

Crosby— another English name

Kirby— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Coby

By themeenglish unisex

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Coby mean?

Coby is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Coby?

It's commonly said KOH-bee /ˈkoʊ.bi/.

Is Coby a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Coby is used as a boy name.

How popular is Coby?

In 2024, Coby ranked #1590 in the U.S. for boys, with 108 births recorded.