Name of the Week

 

A biblical classic with a friendly feel and old-style charm

 

Origin:

The Greek form of the Hebrew name Tobiah, from טוֹבִיָּה (Toviyyah) "Yahweh is good."

Usage:

The Book of Tobit, an Old Testament text in which the protagonist is named Tobias, was popular in the Middle Ages which brought the name into usage. The Middle English form of the name was Toby, and both Toby / Tobey and the diminutive Tobin can be found as surnames from the 13th century.  It became popular in the 17th century after the Reformation and was used through to the 19th.  In 2010 the name ranked #115 with 540 births in England and Wales, which increased from its previous rank of #157 in 2009 and #145 in 2008.

Famous Bearers:

* In the Old Testament, Tobias was aided by archangel Raphael to overcome the demon Asmodeus. * A medieval Bishop of Rochester was named Tobias. He died in 727. * Tobias Matthew (1546–1628) was Archbishop of York. His son, Tobie Matthew, was a member of parliament. * Tobias Smollett (1721–1771) was a Scottish poet and author. * Tobias Mayer (1723–1762) was a renowned German astronomer, famous for his studies of the moon. * Captain Tobias Furneaux (1735–1781) was a naval officer who accompanied James Cook on his second voyage. * Tobias Wolff is a well known American author.

Variants:

Tobiah (Biblical) Tevye (Yiddish) Tovia, Tuvya (Hebrew) Tobiasz (Polish) Topias (Finnish)

Pronunciation:

to-BĪ-əs [key]

Possible Diminutives:

Bas, Bo, Tas, Toby

Sibling Names:

Matilda     Lydia      Jemima     Harriet     Julia     Clara  Dominic     Jasper     Abram     Nathaniel     Jonah    Gabriel

Name Lists:

Upright Elegance   Popular Biblical

If you like Tobias you may also like:   Josiah, Elias, Atticus, Reuben, Elijah, Caleb, Jude, Matthias, Lucas, Benedict