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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tobi

Tobi

♀ Girl

Pronounced TOH-bee /ˈtoʊ.bi/Medium

Meaning: Variously a pet of Tobias (Hebrew, 'God is good') and the Yoruba Tobi, 'great; big' (a short form of Oluwatobi, 'God is great'); used for both sexes; here for girls; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: God is good; great: Tobi pets Tobias / is Yoruba 'great'. Crisp, friendly, and warm. Used for both sexes (here for girls; said 'TOH-bee').
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Origin LowHebrew, Yoruba
MeaningVariously a pet of Tobias (Hebrew, 'God is good') and the Yoruba Tobi, 'great; big' (a short form of Oluwatobi, 'God is great'); used for both sexes; here for girls; routes layered
U.S. rank (2025)#8313 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births13 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1975
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,923

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197519342025

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

Tobi is variously a pet of Tobias (Hebrew, 'God is good') and the Yoruba Tobi, 'great; big' (a short form of Oluwatobi, 'God is great'; routes layered, which we note). A crisp, friendly name, used for both sexes, here for girls (slug distinguished).

In the U.S. it appears in Jewish and Nigerian families. Rare for girls, God-is-good-and-great at the root, and friendly.

Did you know? Tobias means 'God is good' in Hebrew and the Yoruba Tobi 'great; big' (from Oluwatobi, 'God is great') — Tobi is a crisp, friendly name, used for both sexes (here for girls; the routes are layered; said 'TOH-bee').
Overall data confidence 42%
References — Tobi — routes layered

Variations

TobyTobieTobiah

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Tobi…

Toby— a fellow spelling
Tovah— a sound-neighbor To- Hebrew girls' name
Ari— another short unisex girls' name
Libi— lands in the same popularity range
Tomi— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Tobi

By themeuncertainhebrewunisexyoruba
By meaningGod / Divine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tobi mean?

Tobi is variously a pet of Tobias ('God is good') and Yoruba 'great' (from 'God is great'); the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Tobi?

It's said TOH-bee /ˈtoʊ.bi/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Tobi a boy or girl name?

Tobi is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Tobi?

Tobi is a rare name for girls in the U.S.

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