Tobiah
/ˈtoʊ.baɪ.ə/noun
A masculine Hebrew personal name found in the Hebrew Bible and meaning that Yahweh is good.
Did you know?Tobiah is not only a biblical personal name: the Hebrew Bible also mentions a prominent Ammonite official named Tobiah, while later Jewish tradition preserves other figures with the name.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
טוֹבִיָּה (Ṭōḇiyyāh)
“A theophoric name formed from ṭōḇ, “good,” and Yah, a shortened form of Yahweh.”
Second Temple period
Aramaic/Hebrew
טוֹבִיָּה / טוביה
“A continuing Jewish personal name meaning “Yahweh is good.””
Ancient Greek
Greek
Τωβίας (Tōbias)
“The Greek form Tobias, used in the Septuagint and in the Book of Tobit.”
Late Latin
Latin
Tobias
“The Latin biblical form transmitted through Christian scripture and tradition.”
Old English period
English
Tobias
“A learned biblical name adopted into English religious usage.”
Modern English
English
Tobiah
“A modern English form retaining the Hebrew-style ending, distinct from the more common Tobias.”
Explore more surprising origins