Is Toby a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Toby is commonly used as a Unisex name.

It’s currently ranked #731 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

Toby Unisex

Popularity: #731 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

Hebrew; English

Meaning

Hebrew: God is good; English: Diminutive of Tobias

Historical & Cultural Background

Toby is often used as a diminutive form of Tobias, which has Hebrew origins. The name has been popular in English-speaking countries since the Middle Ages. It has been associated with various cultural references, including literature and folklore. Toby is also a common name for pets, particularly dogs.

Trend Summary

Toby has seen fluctuating popularity in the U.S., with a resurgence in recent years.

Similar Names

Tobias, Tobyas, Tobin, Tobiah, Tobiasz

Variants

Tobias
Tobey

International Variants

Tobías (Spanish)
Tobias (German)
Tobiah (Hebrew)

Famous people named Toby

Toby Keith is an American country music singer known for his hit songs and philanthropic efforts.

Toby Maguire is an American actor best known for his role as Spider-Man in the early 2000s film trilogy.

Toby Jones is a British actor recognized for his performances in films such as 'The Hunger Games' and 'Infamous'.

Toby Alderweireld is a Belgian professional footballer known for his defensive skills in international and club football.

Fictional characters named Toby

Toby Flenderson is a character from the American television series 'The Office', known for his role as the human resources representative.

Toby the dog is a character in the animated film 'The Secret Life of Pets', known for his friendly and loyal nature.

Sibling Suggestions

Oliver Henry Samuel Ethan Lucas Nathan

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Toby was first seen in the United States in 1882. Toby has ranked as high as #382 nationally, which occurred in 1975, and has been most popular in Texas, Georgia, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York. In the past 5 years the name Toby has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

All data featured information on this baby name page is provided from official Social Security Administration databases. Names, Gender, and Birthdates are updated annually by the SSA for both national and state birth totals. Our records on the national level data back to 1880. If a chart starts after 1880 it's because that baby name first appeared in official SSA records at that time. If you're name shows a data after your birthdate as a start pointing, feel free to contact us using our contact section and we'll happily update with your birth year.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Toby (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	18	12%
GA	16	11%
WI	15	10%
OH	12	8%
NY	11	7%
PA	10	7%
LA	9	6%
CA	8	5%
MN	6	4%
FL	6	4%
MA	6	4%
WA	6	4%
NC	5	3%
IL	5	3%
IN	5	3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1882	5
1885	5
1895	6
1900	5
1905	8
1906	5
1907	6
1909	8
1910	6
1911	7
1913	11
1914	14
1915	27
1916	22
1917	22
1918	24
1919	30
1920	22
1921	23
1922	24
1923	28
1924	23
1925	27
1926	21
1927	33
1928	25
1929	27
1930	30
1931	30
1932	44
1933	36
1934	54
1935	57
1936	59
1937	66
1938	53
1939	72
1940	77
1941	91
1942	121
1943	116
1944	153
1945	123
1946	126
1947	148
1948	136
1949	149
1950	148
1951	143
1952	191
1953	180
1954	184
1955	190
1956	244
1957	250
1958	299
1959	295
1960	374
1961	301
1962	360
1963	390
1964	375
1965	473
1966	350
1967	427
1968	555
1969	754
1970	983
1971	1,031
1972	890
1973	1,005
1974	1,080
1975	1,191
1976	1,094
1977	1,058
1978	886
1979	667
1980	648
1981	457
1982	467
1983	385
1984	344
1985	322
1986	304
1987	294
1988	276
1989	263
1990	309
1991	257
1992	289
1993	284
1994	308
1995	316
1996	343
1997	346
1998	342
1999	333
2000	409
2001	413
2002	502
2003	582
2004	612
2005	528
2006	507
2007	462
2008	441
2009	396
2010	359
2011	291
2012	353
2013	486
2014	446
2015	371
2016	316
2017	284
2018	271
2019	225
2020	172
2021	192
2022	177
2023	158
2024	194