Tobias is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God is good." It comes from the biblical story of Tobit, an Israelite who remained faithful to his religion despite falling into poverty and losing his sight. His son Tobias embarked on a journey with the angel Raphael, who guided him in fulfilling his mission while teaching him valuable lessons about faith and virtue.
The name Tobias has been popular throughout history, particularly among Christians due to its biblical roots. It gained prominence during the Middle Ages but experienced a resurgence in the late 20th century as parents sought unique yet meaningful names for their children. Today, Tobias is still beloved by many families around the world who appreciate its rich history and positive connotation.
In some variations of the story, Tobit's wife Anna was also named after this biblical figure, further cementing Tobias' place in cultural heritage. Over time, numerous derivations and cognates have emerged from the original Hebrew name, such as Toby (English), Tobiasz (Polish), and Tuvia (Hebrew).
Despite its widespread use, Tobias remains a timeless classic that signifies goodness, faith, and resilience - qualities that parents may wish to instill in their children by bestowing them with this prestigious name.
The name Tobias has seen significant fluctuations in popularity over time, with a notable surge in recent years. From the late 19th to mid-20th century, annual births fluctuated between low single digits and around twenty. It wasn't until the late 1970s that we started seeing consistent numbers above 100 births per year for Tobias. The name gained considerable traction in the 1990s and 2000s, with over 300 births per year becoming commonplace. Since 2015, there has been a marked increase, with numbers climbing from 741 to a peak of 1522 in 2016, indicating growing popularity for the name Tobias in recent times. Overall, since 1880 until 2023, there have been a total of 26,854 births registered as Tobias.