Toby is a quintessential baby boy name. Simple in sound and easy to spell, this name captures the delight and promise found with the birth of a boy. Popular among singers and celebrities, the name also has an unforgettable role in literary and popular culture. Toby Belch is a key character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Toby Flenderson is an ensemble character on The Office, and Toby Isaacs is a character on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Keep reading to learn more about this baby name.
Meaning of the name Toby:
Hebrew: God is good
Origin of the name Toby:
Toby originated as the medieval short form of the name Tobias. The name Tobias comes from the biblical appellation Tobiah. This biblical source combined the Hebrew words tov and yah to produce Toviyyah (meaning “God is good”).
Symbolism of the name Toby:
Toby derives from the medieval vernacular form of the name Tobias (meaning “God is good”). The name became popular due to the availability of the Book of Tobit in many European countries. According to the Book of Tobit, a young man named Tobias enlisted the help of the archangel Raphael to drive a demon away from a young woman named Sarah (who later became his wife). Raphael also helps to cure the young man's father of blindness using the gall of a fish. Symbols for Toby include the Tigris fish and the shepherd's staff.
Style of the name Toby:
Biblical
Gender of the name Toby:
Toby is primarily a boy's name, but occasionally a girl may have the name.
Pronunciation of the name Toby:
TOH-bee
Number of syllables in the name Toby:
Two
Emotion evoked from the name Toby:
The name Toby evokes feelings of gratitude and gladness. This name's association with angels and its easygoing sound also provide overtones of cherubic cheerfulness.
Alternative spellings for the name Toby:
- Tobey
- Tobi
- Tobie
Nicknames for the name Toby:
- Tobes
- Tobe
- Oby
Popularity of the name Toby:
According to the Social Security Administration index, Toby was the 954th most popular baby name for boys in 2019.
Related names for the name Toby:
Great middle names for Toby and their meanings:
- Allan (handsome, cheerful, little rock)
- Brendan (prince, king)
- Clifford (cliff-side ford, river crossing)
- Ethan (solid, enduring, firm)
- Godfrey (God's peace)
- Maverick (independent man)
- Murray (sea settlement, lord, master)
- Rhett (advisor, counselor)
- Sebastian (venerable, revered)
- Walter (army commander, powerful warrior, ruler)
Famous people with the name Toby:
- Toby Albertine Alderweireld (footballer)
- Toby Keith Covel (singer)
- Toby Gunnar Gerhart (football player)
- Toby “TobyMac” McKeehan (singer)
- Toby Jason McGrath (footballer)
- Toby James McDonough (musician)
- Toby Victor Mott (artist)
- Toby Edward Rosenthal (painter)
- Toby Finn Regbo (actor)
- Toby Marcelo Tiangco (politician)
Toby in popular culture:
- Toby Belch (character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night)
- Toby Cavanaugh (character in Pretty Little Liars)
- Toby Flenderson (character on The Office)
- Toby Isaacs (character on Degrassi: The Next Generation)
- Toby Ziegler (main character on The West Wing)