Tobias
Derived from Ancient Greek Τωβίας (Tōbías), from Hebrew טוֹבִיָּה (toviyá, literally “my good is YHWH”).
Every Tobias since 1880 — 29,322 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tobias
Tobias is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #283 in 2025 with 1,201 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 29,322 American babies have been named Tobias. Its peak came in 2016, when 1,523 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Tobias stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tobias year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,201 | #283 |
| 2024 | 1,220 | #280 |
| 2023 | 1,222 | #279 |
| 2022 | 1,262 | #275 |
| 2021 | 1,243 | #276 |
| 2020 | 1,295 | #263 |
| 2019 | 1,319 | #272 |
| 2018 | 1,295 | #273 |
| 2017 | 1,344 | #269 |
| 2016 | 1,523 | #246 |
| 2015 | 1,123 | #316 |
| 2014 | 743 | #418 |
| 2013 | 568 | #486 |
| 2012 | 520 | #509 |
| 2011 | 480 | #529 |
| 2010 | 495 | #522 |
| 2009 | 536 | #504 |
| 2008 | 507 | #529 |
| 2007 | 572 | #472 |
| 2006 | 552 | #480 |
| 2005 | 523 | #480 |
| 2004 | 493 | #496 |
| 2003 | 495 | #499 |
| 2002 | 427 | #527 |
| 2001 | 365 | #569 |
| 2000 | 341 | #586 |
| 1995 | 220 | #720 |
| 1990 | 199 | #724 |
| 1985 | 156 | #709 |
| 1980 | 246 | #547 |
| 1975 | 239 | #522 |
| 1970 | 142 | #701 |
| 1965 | 70 | #880 |
| 1960 | 45 | #1,177 |
| 1955 | 20 | #1,789 |
| 1950 | 27 | #1,429 |
| 1945 | 14 | #1,919 |
| 1940 | 18 | #1,677 |
| 1935 | 9 | #2,701 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,266 |
| 1925 | 11 | #2,737 |
| 1920 | 21 | #1,741 |
| 1915 | 16 | #1,870 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,299 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,488 |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | 7 | #874 |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | 7 | #800 |
Famous people named Tobias
- Tobias Asser Lawyer · 1838–1913
- Tobias Mayer Astronomer · 1723–1762
- Tobias Smollett Writer · 1721–1771
- Tobias Moretti Actor · b. 1959
- Tobias Wolff Writer · b. 1945
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tobias mean?
Derived from Ancient Greek Τωβίας (Tōbías), from Hebrew טוֹבִיָּה (toviyá, literally “my good is YHWH”).
How popular is the name Tobias in 2025?
Tobias ranked #283 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,201 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tobias?
29,322 babies have been named Tobias in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tobias most popular?
Tobias peaked in 2016, when 1,523 newborns received the name.
Is Tobias a boy or girl name?
Tobias is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tobias rising or falling?
Tobias is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Tobias?
Well-known people named Tobias include Tobias Asser (lawyer), Tobias Mayer (astronomer), Tobias Smollett (writer).