Kobi

♂ Boy

Pronounced KOH-bee /ˈkoʊ.bi/High

Meaning: Supplanter (diminutive of Jacob/Yaakov)Medium

In 30 seconds: Kobi is a friendly short form of Jacob, ultimately from the Hebrew Yaakov, with the sense 'supplanter'. It reads as a casual, modern take on the older name.

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Origin MediumHebrew, English

MeaningSupplanter (diminutive of Jacob/Yaakov)

U.S. rank (2024)#1677 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births100 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2000

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,911

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

Kobi works as a diminutive of Jacob, the English form of the Hebrew Yaakov, traditionally glossed as 'supplanter'. The clipped, -i ending spelling gives it a warm, informal feel while keeping the link to the patriarch's name. It functions comfortably as a name in its own right.

It travels with a mix of related forms, from the homespun Jake and Jeb to the Arabic Yacoub, all branches of the same Jacob family.

Did you know? Kobi is a spelling variant of Coby, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'origin uncertain' while changing the visual style.

Overall data confidence 78%

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

Variations

KobbyJakeJebKobyYacoub

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Kobi…

Jacob— the full name Kobi shortens, from Hebrew Yaakov

Koby— a listed variant spelling of the same short form

Jake— a listed companion short form of Jacob

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kobi mean?

Kobi is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Bengali tradition.

How do you pronounce Kobi?

It's commonly said KOH-bee /ˈkoʊ.bi/.

Is Kobi a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Kobi?

In 2024, Kobi ranked #1677 in the U.S. for boys, with 100 births recorded.