Tobe, of Hebrew origin, means "good." It is a short form of Tobias, which is derived from the Greek name Theophilus, meaning "beloved of God." Tobe was popular in the United States during the mid-20th century but has since fallen out of fashion. It regained some popularity in recent years due to its use by celebrities like actor Tobe Hooper, known for directing the horror film "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," and musician Tobe Nwigwe. The name is often associated with simplicity and directness.
The name Tobe experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years, with peaks of up to 20 births in a single year (1916) and lows of just 5 births (seen multiple times between 1891 and 2022). The most popular decade was the 1910s with a total of 174 births, while the least popular was the 1930s with only 56 births. Since the late 1970s, the name Tobe has seen consistent but relatively low usage, averaging around 7 births per year from 1979 to 2022.