Toby
Boy name · #978 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Toby? In official American birth records, Toby has been tracked continuously since 1882, giving it 143 years of documented American history.
Toby ranks #978 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 234 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #681, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,692 boys born in 2025 was named Toby.
Babies named Toby per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 143-year story
Toby first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1975, when 1,191 boys were named Toby — good for #190 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Toby against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Toby in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Toby is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Toby will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Toby is most common
Geography matters for names, and Toby is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Toby is most common in KY (0.5 per 1,000), MO (0.4 per 1,000), IN (0.3 per 1,000), MI (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Toby is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Toby
Statistically, parents drawn to Toby tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Troy, Joey, Heath, Tony, and Tyrone.
TroyJoeyHeathTonyTyroneDionReneMarlon
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Toby | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 234 | #977 |
| 2024 | 196 | #1099 |
| 2023 | 158 | #1238 |
| 2022 | 177 | #1163 |
| 2021 | 193 | #1090 |
| 2020 | 172 | #1134 |
| 2019 | 226 | #949 |
| 2018 | 271 | #824 |
| 2017 | 284 | #804 |
| 2016 | 316 | #768 |
| 2015 | 371 | #681 |
| 2014 | 446 | #605 |
| 2013 | 486 | #546 |
| 2012 | 353 | #668 |
| 2011 | 291 | #773 |
| 2010 | 359 | #667 |
| 2009 | 396 | #630 |
| 2008 | 442 | #581 |
| 2007 | 462 | #558 |
| 2006 | 508 | #510 |
| 2005 | 529 | #474 |
| 2004 | 612 | #429 |
| 2003 | 582 | #433 |
| 2002 | 502 | #474 |
| 2001 | 413 | #532 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Toby?
In official American birth records, the name Toby first appeared in 1882 (over 143 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Toby a popular boy name?
Toby ranked #978 among boys in 2025 with 234 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #681.
When was the name Toby most popular?
Toby peaked in 1975, when 1,191 American boys received the name (ranked #190 that year). Since 1975 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Toby?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,692 newborn American boys was named Toby. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.