Toby
/ˈtoʊ.bi/noun
A traditional English masculine given name and diminutive form of Tobias.
Did you know?Tobias appears in the biblical Book of Tobit, where the young Tobias travels with the archangel Raphael—giving the name an unexpectedly angelic and mystical history.
Etymological Timeline
Iron Age
Hebrew
Ṭōḇiyyāh
“Yahweh is good”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Tōbias
“Greek form of the Hebrew personal name”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Tobias
“Latin form used in biblical and Christian texts”
Middle English
English
Tobias
“A personal name adopted from biblical tradition”
16th Century
English
Toby
“A familiar diminutive of Tobias”
Modern English
English
Toby
“A masculine given name; also a traditional name for a male dog”