Fun Facts About the Name Kobi
- More than 3 thousand babies named Kobi: U.S. records list 3,117 babies given the name Kobi from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 1,147 girls received the name Kobi - about 1 girl for every 2 boys.
What Does the Name Kobi Mean?
Kobi is a Hebrew name, usually a short form of Yaakov (יַעֲקֹב), the Hebrew original of Jacob. Yaakov is built on the root עקב, whose basic sense is "heel" (עָקֵב, akev), and the Book of Genesis ties the name to Jacob's birth, when he came out gripping the heel of his twin brother Esau. The customary English meaning, "supplanter," comes from that same story, since Jacob later takes Esau's birthright and blessing; the more literal sense is "heel-holder" or "one who follows at the heel." Kobi has no separate root of its own and carries the meaning of the name it shortens.
Kobi Name History & Origins
Yaakov appears in the Hebrew Bible as the son of Isaac and Rebecca, the twin of Esau, and the ancestor of the twelve tribes of Israel. As Jewish communities adopted the languages of the countries where they lived, the name passed into Greek as Iakobos and Latin as Iacobus, and from those into Jacob, James, and Jaime in European languages. Hebrew itself kept Yaakov in continuous use, and everyday short forms grew up beside it. Kobi takes the "kov" ending of Yaakov and adds the -i ending found in many Hebrew nicknames, such as Yossi from Yosef and Dudi from David.
In modern Israel, Kobi is used both as a nickname for Yaakov and as an independent given name. Jewish families elsewhere also use it, often spelled Koby or Coby in English. A separate naming tradition exists in Ghana, where Kobi can be a short form of Kobina, the Fante day name for a boy born on Tuesday; the related Twi form is Kwabena. That use is unrelated to the Hebrew name.
How Popular is the Name Kobi?
Kobi has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2000. Its best rank was #1,275 in 2000.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,616 | 42 | 0.0026% |
| 2024 | #2,638 | 66 | 0.0041% |
| 2023 | #2,832 | 60 | 0.0037% |
| 2022 | #2,374 | 78 | 0.0048% |
| 2021 | #1,949 | 101 | 0.0062% |
| 2020 | #2,231 | 81 | 0.0050% |
| 2019 | #4,301 | 33 | 0.0020% |
| 2018 | #3,970 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2017 | #4,532 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2016 | #4,396 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2015 | #5,580 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #5,896 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #5,075 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2012 | #6,479 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #6,450 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2010 | #6,296 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2009 | #5,163 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2008 | #6,704 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2007 | #6,967 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2006 | #7,337 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #11,397 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #7,635 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #5,699 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2002 | #5,183 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2001 | #4,267 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2000 | #4,347 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1999 | #4,390 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1998 | #5,252 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1997 | #8,063 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #8,509 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #14,633 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #12,631 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #12,649 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #14,413 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,868 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #11,583 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #8,046 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #8,112 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #7,259 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #9,744 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #11,112 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #8,555 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #11,016 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #10,548 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #6,091 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #10,026 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #4,996 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #6,538 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #7,895 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #6,957 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #6,675 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #6,266 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #7,575 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #6,381 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #7,054 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #5,760 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,341 | 59 | 0.0035% |
| 2024 | #1,677 | 100 | 0.0058% |
| 2023 | #1,811 | 89 | 0.0052% |
| 2022 | #2,009 | 76 | 0.0044% |
| 2021 | #1,787 | 89 | 0.0051% |
| 2020 | #1,754 | 88 | 0.0051% |
| 2019 | #2,199 | 64 | 0.0036% |
| 2018 | #2,221 | 62 | 0.0034% |
| 2017 | #2,471 | 52 | 0.0028% |
| 2016 | #2,705 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2015 | #2,835 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 2014 | #2,646 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 2013 | #3,303 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #3,274 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 2011 | #2,723 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 2010 | #2,609 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 2009 | #2,309 | 57 | 0.0029% |
| 2008 | #2,153 | 63 | 0.0031% |
| 2007 | #2,524 | 50 | 0.0024% |
| 2006 | #2,721 | 43 | 0.0021% |
| 2005 | #2,784 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 2004 | #2,819 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2003 | #1,810 | 66 | 0.0033% |
| 2002 | #1,511 | 83 | 0.0043% |
| 2001 | #1,341 | 97 | 0.0050% |
| 2000 | #1,275 | 102 | 0.0052% |
| 1999 | #1,979 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 1998 | #1,442 | 79 | 0.0041% |
| 1997 | #1,766 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 1996 | #2,573 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1995 | #3,635 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1994 | #3,288 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #6,573 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #4,722 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #5,313 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #6,158 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,404 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #6,882 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #4,429 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #5,753 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #4,406 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #5,932 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #4,310 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #4,734 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #3,068 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #5,116 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Kobi Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Kobi's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kobi's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.