Tobiah is a unique and distinctive given name of Hebrew origin. It is derived from the Hebrew word "tov," which means "good." Thus, Tobiah translates to "goodness of God" or "God is good."
The name Tobiah appears in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Nehemiah. In this text, Tobiah is depicted as an Ammonite official who initially opposes the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls by Nehemiah and his people. However, he later converts to Judaism and plays a role in the completion of the project.
Despite its biblical origins and significant meaning, Tobiah has not been widely used throughout history. It is considered somewhat exotic and unusual even today, making it a unique choice for parents looking for an uncommon yet meaningful name for their child.
In terms of popularity, Tobiah has never made it into the top 1000 baby names in the United States, according to data from the Social Security Administration. This further emphasizes its rarity and distinctiveness compared to more common Hebrew names like David or Benjamin.
Overall, Tobiah is an uncommon yet significant name with deep roots in biblical history. Its meaning – "goodness of God" or "God is good" – makes it a thoughtful choice for parents seeking a unique and meaningful moniker for their child.
The given statistics show the annual number of babies named Tobiah born in the United States from 1971 to 2023. The name Tobiah has seen varying popularity over these years, with some periods having more births than others.
In the early years, from 1971 to 1985, there were fewer than 10 births each year, indicating that Tobiah was not a very common name during this time. However, starting in 1986, the number of births began to increase gradually, reaching double digits consistently by 1992.
The most popular years for the name Tobiah were between 2007 and 2013, with over 20 births each year during this period. The highest peak was reached in 2013, with 27 births. This trend suggests that the name gained significant popularity in the late 20th century and continued to be popular throughout the early 21st century.
However, after 2014, the popularity of the name Tobiah started to decrease again. While there were still over 10 births each year until 2022, the numbers have been steadily declining since then. The most recent data from 2023 shows that there were only 13 births, indicating a decrease in the popularity of the name Tobiah in recent years.
In total, according to the provided statistics, there were 647 babies named Tobiah born in the United States between 1971 and 2023.