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Tobe
How to Pronounce Tobe
Pronounced TOHB /ΛtoΚb/Medium
Meaning: Tobe is a short form of Tobias, from the Hebrew Toviyyah, 'God is good' or 'the goodness of God.' Used as a stand-alone name, it descends from Tobias and is kin to Toby.Low
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Tobe is a clipped form of Tobias, from Hebrew Toviyyah, 'God is good.' Short biblical forms like this were common as stand-alone names in rural nineteenth-century America. Tobe appears in United States birth records from the eighteen-eighties and lingers, thinning, into the twentieth century.
It was never common, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its high in the mid nineteen-tens, so a Tobe from that peak was born over a century ago. It reads as a plainspoken vintage short form, related to the still-familiar Toby.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Tobe mean?
It is a short form of Tobias, from Hebrew for 'God is good.'
How do you pronounce Tobe?
It's said TOHB /ΛtoΚb/ - one syllable.
Is Tobe a boy or girl name?
Tobe is used as a boy's name.
How popular is Tobe?
It has always been rare, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its peak in the mid nineteen-tens.