Tobi

♂ Boy

Pronounced TOH-bee /ˈtoʊ.bi/High

Meaning: From Yoruba (a short form of names like Oluwatobi, 'God is great/good'); also a short form of Tobias ('God is good'); routes layeredMedium

In 30 seconds: God is good, beautifully doubled: Tobi shortens Yoruba names like Oluwatobi ('God is great') — and the Hebrew Tobias ('God is good'). Warm, faithful, and bright.

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Origin MediumYoruba, Hebrew

MeaningFrom Yoruba (a short form of names like Oluwatobi, 'God is great/good'); also a short form of Tobias ('God is good'); routes layered

U.S. rank (2025)#3649 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births31 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2023

Total births (all-time)≈ 631

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

Tobi comes from Yoruba — a short form of names like Oluwatobi, 'God is great/good' — and also serves as a short form of Tobias, from Hebrew, 'God is good' (routes layered, which we note). Warm and faithful.

In the U.S. it appears in Nigerian and Western families. Rare, God-is-good at the root, and bright.

Did you know? Tobi shortens Yoruba names like Oluwatobi, 'God is great/good' — and overlaps the Hebrew Tobias, 'God is good'; a happily devout cross-cultural name.

Overall data confidence 70%

References — Oluwatobi / Tobias — routes layered

Variations

TobyTobiasOluwatobi

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Tobi Lütke (1980-)
German-Canadian entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of Shopify
★Tobi Lou (1993-)
American rapper and singer known for his playful pop-rap style

If you like Tobi…

Toby— a fellow spelling

Tobias— the name it can shorten

Kobi— shares the -bi ending

Treshawn— a similarly popular pick

Mekhi— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Tobi

By themeuncertain hebrew yoruba

By meaningGod / Divine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tobi mean?

Tobi shortens Yoruba 'God is great/good' (Oluwatobi) and Hebrew Tobias, 'God is good'; 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 a boy's name.

How popular is Tobi?

Tobi is a rare name in the U.S.