Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1976

Joby

Meaning A diminutive of the male given name Joseph Gender Unisex · 5% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the male given name Joseph.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Joby
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1976
45 babies
All-time total
1,242
#4,648 all-time among boys
First recorded
1939
in Social Security records

Joby popularity over time

1,242 babies have been named Joby since 1939, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – 5 5 1 – #3,729
1940s – 15 15 2 +200% #2,898
1950s 11 63 74 7 +393% #2,351
1960s 22 168 190 19 +157% #1,626
1970s 35 288 323 32 +70% #1,485
1980s – 171 171 17 -47% #2,317
1990s – 188 188 19 +10% #2,867
2000s – 139 139 14 -26% #3,857
2010s – 104 104 10 -25% #5,547
2020s (to 2025) – 33 33 6 -47% #8,019

The story of Joby

Joby is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1939, 1,242 American babies have been named Joby, about 95% boys and 5% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1976, when 45 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Joby stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Joby?

The median living Joby is about 43 years old; half are between 26 and 53. An estimated 1,100 people named Joby are alive in the United States today.

median 43 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Joby year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – – –
2024 – – 10 #8,020
2023 – – 7 #10,203
2022 – – 10 #8,019
2021 – – 6 #11,390
2020 – – – –
2019 – – 6 #11,408
2018 – – 8 #9,200
2017 – – 10 #7,845
2016 – – – –
2015 – – 13 #6,497
2014 – – 10 #7,828
2013 – – 13 #6,424
2012 – – 12 #6,813
2011 – – 16 #5,547
2010 – – 16 #5,597
2009 – – 15 #5,940
2008 – – 12 #6,958
2007 – – 10 #7,864
2006 – – 15 #5,656
2005 – – 11 #6,858
2004 – – 11 #6,744
2003 – – 12 #6,047
2002 – – 22 #3,857
2001 – – 12 #5,832
2000 – – 19 #4,128
1995 – – 24 #2,969
1990 – – 19 #3,233
1985 – – 14 #3,296
1980 – – 22 #2,317
1975 6 #8,414 29 #1,727
1970 5 #8,532 16 #2,348
1965 – – 20 #1,791
1960 – – 12 #2,478
1955 – – 6 #3,693
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Joby, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Joby?

The median living Joby is about 43 years old. Half of all living Jobys are between 26 and 53 years old.

How many people named Joby are alive today?

An estimated 1,100 people named Joby are alive in the United States, based on 1,242 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Joby mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Joseph.

How popular is the name Joby in 2025?

Joby did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Joby?

1,242 babies have been named Joby in the United States since 1939, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Joby most popular?

Joby peaked in 1976, when 45 newborns received the name.

Is Joby a boy or girl name?

Joby is used for both: about 5% of babies named Joby have been girls and 95% boys.

Is the name Joby rising or falling?

Joby is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Joby

Names that sound and feel close to Joby: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Joby with similar names → More names starting with J →