Tobias
Meaning of Tobias
Tobias twirls off the tongue as “toh-BY-uhs,” and, like a sun-splashed fresco in an old Roman courtyard, it carries layers of story and spirit. Born from the Hebrew Toviyah—“God is good”—the name first strides onto the scene in the Book of Tobit, where faithful Tobias braves demons and desert winds to heal his father’s sight. Over centuries it wandered through Greek and Latin lips, crossed medieval marketplaces, and finally staked a cheerful claim in modern nurseries. Today it conjures images of earnest heroes (think Tobias in Divergent), quick-witted sitcom sidekicks (hello, Arrested Development), and even a dash of classical gravitas courtesy of Baroque composer Tobias Hume. Nickname-ready “Toby” keeps things playful, yet the full form stands tall and dignified—an elegant Roman column with a friendly grin. All told, Tobias offers parents a blend of timeless faith, literary sparkle, and everyday approachability.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as toh-BY-uhs (/təʊˈbaɪəs/)
American English
- Pronunced as toh-BY-uhs (/toʊˈbaɪəs/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Tobias
| Tobias Menzies is an English actor who won an Emmy for playing Prince Philip in The Crown and is also known for roles in Outlander, Rome, and Game of Thrones. |
| Tobias George Smollett was a Scottish writer and surgeon best known for picaresque novels such as Roderick Random, Peregrine Pickle, and Humphry Clinker that influenced later British authors including Charles Dickens. |
| Tobias Wolff is an American writer and teacher best known for This Boys Life, In Pharaohs Army, The Barracks Thief winner of the PEN Faulkner Award, and a 2015 National Medal of Arts. |
| Tobias Schweinsteiger is a German former forward and coach who most recently led VfL Osnabrück and is the older brother of Bastian Schweinsteiger. |
| Tobias Read is an Oregon Democrat serving as Secretary of State since 2025, after serving as state treasurer from 2017 to 2025 and representing the Beaverton area in the state House, where he was Speaker Pro Tempore and Majority Whip. |
| Tobias Hysén - Glenn Tobias Hysen is a Swedish former forward and winger who played for Djurgardens, Sunderland, and IFK Goteborg, earned 34 caps and 10 goals for Sweden, appeared at Euro 2012, and retired in 2018. |
| Tobias Adrian is a German American economist serving since 2017 as the IMF Financial Counsellor and head of Monetary and Capital Markets, formerly a senior leader at the New York Fed, known for research on financial stability and monetary policy. |
| Tobias Smuts was a Boer general in the Second Boer War and a member of the Eerste Volksraad of the South African Republic. |
| Tobias Lütke - Tobias Lutke is a German Canadian entrepreneur and racing driver, cofounder and CEO of Shopify, who races LMP2 in the 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship with Era Motorsport. |
| German forward Tobias Rieder now plays for EHC Red Bull Munich in the DEL after being a 2011 Oilers draft pick, debuting with the Coyotes, and also skating for the Kings, Oilers, Flames and Sabres. |
| Captain Tobias Furneaux was a British navigator and Royal Navy officer who sailed with James Cook on his second voyage, became one of the first to circumnavigate the globe in both directions, and later commanded a British ship in the American War of Independence. |
| Tobias Huber is a German nephrologist and internist, a university professor, and Director and Chairman of the Third Department of Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. |
| Tobias Geffen was an American Orthodox rabbi who led Congregation Shearith Israel in Atlanta from 1910 to 1970 and is best known for certifying Coca-Cola as kosher in 1935. |
| Tobias Sana is a Swedish attacking midfielder for Superettan club Orgryte IS. |
| Canadian musician Tobias Jesso Jr released his debut album Goon in 2015, was named a Rolling Stone 20 Biggest Breakout, and later won the first ever Grammy Songwriter of the Year at the 65th Grammys for work with artists including Harry Styles and Adele. |
