Tosh

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Tosh

Pronounced TOSH /ˈtɒʃ/High

Meaning: Tosh is a short, one-syllable name with a couple of honest roots. It can be a clipped form of the Scottish surname Mackintosh, meaning 'son of the chief'; it can also stand as a short form of Japanese given names beginning with Toshi-, such as Toshio. It is further familiar as the surname of the Jamaican reggae musician Peter Tosh, though that was a stage name.Low

In 30 seconds: Tosh is a short, one-syllable name from the Scottish surname Mackintosh or from Japanese Toshi- names. It saw scattered modern use (said TOSH).

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Origin LowScottish, Japanese

MeaningTosh is a short, one-syllable name with a couple of honest roots. It can be a clipped form of the Scottish surname Mackintosh, meaning 'son of the chief'; it can also stand as a short form of Japanese given names beginning with Toshi-, such as Toshio. It is further familiar as the surname of the Jamaican reggae musician Peter Tosh, though that was a stage name.

U.S. rank (2023)#12100 ↘ Falling

2023 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2006

Total births (all-time)≈ 557

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

Tosh is most often a short form, either of the Scottish surname Mackintosh, a name meaning 'son of the chief', or of Japanese names beginning with Toshi-. As a stand-alone given name it is rare and modern, appearing only intermittently. Its recognition is helped by the musician Peter Tosh, a founding member of the Wailers, although Tosh there was a shortened stage surname rather than a birth given name.

As a given name Tosh has never been common; only a few dozen boys a year were recorded with it around a scattered high point in the 2000s, and it appears more as an occasional choice than a tradition. Because it can arise from Scottish, Japanese, or nickname routes, its origin is given with modest confidence and its meaning depends on which source a family has in mind.

Did you know? Tosh wears several hats: a snip of the Scottish Mackintosh, a short form of Japanese Toshi- names, and the stage surname of reggae great Peter Tosh.

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Tosh — Short form of Mackintosh; Japanese Toshi-; Peter Tosh stage surname

Variations

ToshiToschTashToshiro

Nicknames

ToshT

Famous Bearers

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If you like Tosh…

Josh— a same-length one-beat boys' name with matching punch

Ash— another short, modern one-syllable nature-or-surname name

Cash— shares the crisp single-beat, surname-style feel

Tam— shares Tosh's Scottish roots

Tavish— a similarly popular pick

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Tosh mean?

Tosh is a short form of the Scottish surname Mackintosh or of Japanese Toshi- names.

How do you pronounce Tosh?

It is said TOSH /ˈtɒʃ/ - one syllable, rhyming with 'wash'.

Is Tosh a boy or girl name?

Tosh is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Tosh?

Tosh has always been rare as a given name, appearing only occasionally in modern records.