Given name & surname

Hoby

“having a shining intellect”

Hoby is a variant of Hobart. In American use, Hobart carries the interpretation “having a shining intellect.”

Meaning & origin

What it means

Hoby is a variant of Hobart. In American use, Hobart carries the interpretation “having a shining intellect.”

Explained through its name family

Where it comes from

Hoby connects to the Hubert name family through Hobart. An origin associated with Hubert is German.

Explained through its name family

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1958. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.

From dated birth records

Hoby through the years

Babies since 1880
85
85 boys · 0 girls
Most popular year
1958
30 babies
2025
0
Outside the ranked list
2021–25 vs 2016–20
—
Too few births to compare
0510151960198020002025Highest share 19580.0
Hoby in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1958–2025, per million boys born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

By the numbers

The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1990. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 30 in 1958. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 141 as a first name in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Hoby’s family of names

Hoby has a related form in Hobart.

Walk Hoby’s family in the name graph

HobyHobart

The ring: nicknames and forms.

Hover or tab through the constellation to see how each name is related. Bigger dots are names more people in the U.S. share.

Nicknames & forms 1

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Similar names

If you love Hoby, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Middle English

Howie

Howie is a surname from Middle English.

23RareRising

>99% boys

 

Robby

“one who is bright with fame”

23RareSteady

>99% boys

 

Wally

“the commander of the army” · “a powerful ruler”

20RareSteady

>99% boys

 

Timmy

“one who honors God”

20RareCooling

>99% boys

English · Royal

Hal

“the ruler of the house” · “home”

29RareRising

>99% boys

 

Jeffry

“a man of peace”

20RareEasing

>99% boys

Gaelic · Nature

Cary

“from the river” · “from the fort on the hill”

26RareSteady

95% boys · 5% girls

English

Derwin

“a friend of the deer; a gifted friend”

20RareEasing

>99% boys

Sibling ideas

Names that share Hoby’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Hoby