Tobey Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: TOH-bee //ˈtoʊ.bi//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: God is good; English: variant of Toby
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Tobey is derived from the Hebrew name Toviyah, which translates to "God is good." This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, where it is associated with the biblical figure Tobiah, a character in the Book of Tobit, which is part of the Apocrypha. The name Toviyah was later adapted into Greek as Tobias, and subsequently into Latin as Tobias, before making its way into Old French as Tobie.
The transition into English occurred during the Middle Ages, where it was further anglicized to Tobey, often used as a diminutive form of Tobias. Historically, the name Tobey has been linked to various significant figures and texts.
The Book of Tobit, dating back to the 2nd century BCE, features Tobiah as a central character, showcasing themes of faith, divine providence, and moral integrity. The name gained further prominence through its inclusion in the King James Bible, published in 1611, which helped to solidify its presence in English-speaking cultures.
Throughout the centuries, the name has been borne by various saints and notable individuals, contributing to its enduring legacy. Culturally, the name Tobey carries connotations of goodness and divine favor, reflecting its etymological roots.
This positive association has allowed the name to resonate across different cultures and eras, often symbolizing hope and virtue. The diminutive form Toby has also been historically significant, appearing in literature and folklore, which has helped maintain the name's relevance over time.
Overall, Tobey encapsulates a rich linguistic and cultural heritage that traces back to ancient religious texts and has evolved through various languages and traditions.
Famous people named Tobey
In this section, you will find notable people named Tobey. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Tobey who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Tobey who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Tobey Maguire is an actor best known for Spider-Man, Seabiscuit, and The Great Gatsby.
Tobey Keith is a country music singer best known for Should've Been a Cowboy, How Do You Like Me Now?!, and Beer for My Horses.
Fictional characters named Tobey
The following list of fictional characters named Tobey is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Tobey is a fictional character from the animated series The Amazing World of Gumball. He is a classmate of Gumball and Darwin, known for his mischievous and sometimes antagonistic behavior.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Tobey, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Tobey. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Tobey was first seen in the United States in 1914.
Tobey has ranked as high as #1856 nationally, which occurred in 1975, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Tobey has been trending about the same compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Tobey is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Tobey was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Tobey.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 2024 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 2023 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 2022 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 2021 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 2020 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 2018 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 2017 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 2016 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 2015 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 2014 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 2013 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 2012 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| 2011 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 2010 | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| 2009 | 44 | 44 | 0 |
| 2008 | 39 | 39 | 0 |
| 2007 | 46 | 46 | 0 |
| 2006 | 41 | 41 | 0 |
| 2005 | 73 | 68 | 5 |
| 2004 | 77 | 77 | 0 |
| 2003 | 85 | 85 | 0 |
| 2002 | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| 2001 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 2000 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1999 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1998 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1997 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1996 | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| 1995 | 17 | 10 | 7 |
| 1994 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1993 | 15 | 9 | 6 |
| 1992 | 19 | 14 | 5 |
| 1991 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1990 | 16 | 11 | 5 |
| 1989 | 15 | 9 | 6 |
| 1988 | 24 | 14 | 10 |
| 1987 | 22 | 14 | 8 |
| 1986 | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| 1985 | 21 | 14 | 7 |
| 1984 | 16 | 11 | 5 |
| 1983 | 19 | 12 | 7 |
| 1982 | 13 | 8 | 5 |
| 1981 | 33 | 25 | 8 |
| 1980 | 45 | 29 | 16 |
| 1979 | 32 | 21 | 11 |
| 1978 | 56 | 35 | 21 |
| 1977 | 57 | 34 | 23 |
| 1976 | 72 | 51 | 21 |
| 1975 | 106 | 53 | 53 |
| 1974 | 96 | 49 | 47 |
| 1973 | 76 | 39 | 37 |
| 1972 | 70 | 38 | 32 |
| 1971 | 54 | 32 | 22 |
| 1970 | 49 | 23 | 26 |
| 1969 | 36 | 20 | 16 |
| 1968 | 42 | 21 | 21 |
| 1967 | 23 | 14 | 9 |
| 1966 | 27 | 14 | 13 |
| 1965 | 34 | 15 | 19 |
| 1964 | 41 | 15 | 26 |
| 1963 | 39 | 20 | 19 |
| 1962 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| 1961 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1960 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1959 | 23 | 13 | 10 |
| 1958 | 29 | 20 | 9 |
| 1957 | 24 | 14 | 10 |
| 1956 | 25 | 15 | 10 |
| 1955 | 18 | 8 | 10 |
| 1954 | 16 | 5 | 11 |
| 1953 | 19 | 8 | 11 |
| 1952 | 19 | 6 | 13 |
| 1951 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1950 | 13 | 5 | 8 |
| 1949 | 21 | 9 | 12 |
| 1948 | 21 | 9 | 12 |
| 1947 | 22 | 10 | 12 |
| 1946 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| 1945 | 13 | 5 | 8 |
| 1944 | 16 | 7 | 9 |
| 1943 | 19 | 9 | 10 |
| 1942 | 13 | 5 | 8 |
| 1941 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1940 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1939 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1938 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1937 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1928 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1924 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1921 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1916 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1914 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Top States for Tobey (2016)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 5 |