Tobias
BoyHebrew · German /toˈbiː.as/; English /təˈbaɪ.əs/, with a different middle vowel.
Tobias means ‘God is good’ and recalls a journey with the angel Raphael. Its rounded beginning and lifted middle give it a friendly, buoyant sound.
Origin
Hebrew
Pronunciation
German /toˈbiː.as/; English /təˈbaɪ.əs/, with a different middle vowel.
God is good; more specifically, Yahweh is good.
Tobias carries a short statement of faith: ‘God is good’, or more specifically ‘Yahweh is good’. Its form comes through Greek from the Hebrew name Toviyya, whose elements refer to goodness and the divine name. In the Book of Tobit, Tobias is Tobit's son. Looking for someone who knows the road, he meets Raphael without yet realizing that his companion is an angel. This moment gives the name a memorable connection with travel and unexpected companionship. The rounded opening and rising middle can make Tobias feel friendly and buoyant. English /təˈbaɪ.əs/ has an ‘eye’ sound in the centre; German /toˈbiː.as/ has a long i instead. Both place the emphasis in the middle, creating a gentle lift before the final s.
Etymology: The Greek form of Hebrew Toviyya, also represented as Tobiah: tov ‘good’ and yah, referring to the Hebrew God.
Spelling table
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Name popularity
Latest year: 2025
Boys
Rank283
Source
SSA records cover Social Security card applications, not every US birth. Names with fewer than 5 occurrences are omitted; gaps do not mean zero. Spellings are kept separate, except that SSA removes spaces and hyphens. Equal counts are ranked alphabetically. Ranks are calculated separately for boys and girls.
Origin
Hebrew
Origin
Greek