Unisex name · since 1924
Tobey
Tobey has 1,698 recorded births since 1924 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2003 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3,652 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #9,010 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,698
- born since 1924
- 2000s
- peak decade
Tobey currently ranks #9010 among unisex names in America, with 1,698 babies recorded since 1924.
Social Security Administration records show Tobey recorded 1,698 times among boys since 1924, holding rank #9010 nationally today, ahead of 35% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1924 to 2025.
- #3,652 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #9,010 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,698 born since 1924
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tobey ranks #3,652 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #9,010 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,698 born since 1924, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3,652 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #9,010 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,698
- born since 1924
- 2000s
- peak decade
Tobey's 1,698 recorded births place it above 91.96% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 5 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Tobey compares
1,698 Top 24% higher than 76% of 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Tobey's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Tobey | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,698 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 85 | 34 | 22,252 |
Tobey's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Tobey's full recorded timeline at 1983, 56% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 44% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1924, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2003 peak of 85 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Tobey popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1924–2025
- Peak year (2003)
- 85
- Annual births at peak, across 102 years of records
Tobey popularity over time - girls
758 total births recorded since 1914 (Tobey as girls' name)
Tobey by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (495 births, 29% of the file).
2000s was Tobey's strongest decade.
495 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Tobey births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1940s 59
1940s
59 births
- 1950s 103
1950s
103 births
- 1960s 150
1960s
150 births
- 1970s
1970s
375 births
- 1980s 144
1980s
144 births
- 1990s 112
1990s
112 births
- 2000s
2000s
495 births
- 2010s 196
2010s
196 births
- 2020s 59
2020s
59 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 495 births (29% of all-time use).
How Tobey compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Tobey's total volume
Tobey by state
Where Tobey concentrates geographically, total births since 1924
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 79 | 4.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 38 | 2.2% |
| #3 | New York | | 19 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Maine | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #5 | Florida | | 5 | 0.3% |
79 of 1,698 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tobey? ▼
Where does Tobey sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Tobey most popular? ▼
Where is Tobey most popular? ▼
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How long has the name Tobey been used? ▼
What names are similar to Tobey? ▼
What to do with Tobey's data
- Tobey's decade-level peak was the 2000s (495 total births); usage has since declined to 59 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Tobeys (79 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tobey
Nearby Names Like Tobey
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tobey
Compare Tobey side by side: Tobey vs Toby Tobey vs Tobias Tobey vs Tobin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Tobey
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Tobey: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2003)
Similar record span (~101 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1924–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Tobey draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.