Fun Facts About the Name Toba
- 451 babies named Toba: U.S. records list 451 babies given the name Toba from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Toba Mean?
Toba is a feminine given name of Hebrew origin. It comes from the Hebrew word tovah (טוֹבָה), the feminine form of tov, meaning "good." The name's established sense is therefore simply "good" or "goodness."
The name is used mainly by Jewish families and is closely related to the forms Tova, Tovah, Tobe, and Toby. Toba is best understood as a Yiddish-influenced spelling and pronunciation of this Hebrew name, appearing in Ashkenazi communities of Central and Eastern Europe and among their descendants elsewhere. A separate and unrelated use is the Japanese surname Toba, as in the city of Toba in Mie Prefecture, which is built from Japanese elements and shares no origin with the Hebrew name.
Toba Name History & Origins
The Hebrew word behind the name, tovah, means "good" and is the feminine of tov. The same root appears in the biblical name Toviyah ("God is good"), which reached Greek and Latin as Tobias. Tovah and its Yiddish forms Tobe and Toba belong to the broad tradition of Hebrew names taken from ordinary words rather than from figures in biblical narrative.
In Yiddish-speaking Jewish communities, Hebrew names were commonly given a Yiddish pronunciation and spelling. Tovah became Tobe, and Toba is one common rendering of that Yiddish form. Because the underlying word tovah means "good," the name could also be understood as a blessing or good wish for the child.
Some popular accounts link Toba to the Yiddish word toyb, "dove" (related to German Taube). That connection appears to rest on the similar sound rather than on the name's established etymology, which remains the Hebrew tovah, "good."
The Japanese surname Toba, written with characters such as 鳥羽, is a place-based surname and is not related to the Hebrew given name.
How Popular is the Name Toba?
Toba 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 2024. Its best rank was #3,533 in 1941.
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 | #7,457 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #6,349 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2023 | #7,599 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #7,598 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #9,499 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #7,536 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #6,991 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #11,355 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #6,782 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #7,205 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2015 | #8,400 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #7,609 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #10,940 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #12,132 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #8,584 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #9,737 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #15,117 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #10,751 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #9,504 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2006 | #13,518 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #18,983 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #10,632 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2003 | #9,635 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #15,275 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #17,783 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #9,827 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #11,317 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #13,615 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #9,540 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #15,607 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #10,492 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #13,328 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #11,430 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #13,757 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #11,210 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #11,960 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #11,365 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #9,562 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #10,795 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #7,227 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1952 | #6,325 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #4,178 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1946 | #5,635 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #3,656 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #4,648 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,533 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1931 | #4,904 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #3,823 | 8 | 0.0007% |
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 Toba Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Toba's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Toba's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.