Given name & surname
Joby
“God shall add”·“persecuted”·“one who is persecuted; afflicted”
In English use, Joby is a diminutive of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family. Joby is a variant of Job. Interpretations include “persecuted” and “one who is persecuted; afflicted” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Joby is a diminutive of Joseph. Yosef means “God shall add,” traditionally understood as a hope that God would add another son to the family. Joby is a variant of Job. Interpretations include “persecuted” and “one who is persecuted; afflicted” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions. Joby is a variant of Jobey. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is persecuted.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Joby is a diminutive of Joseph. Joseph is the English and French form of the Hebrew name Yosef. Joby is a variant of Job. An origin associated with Job is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Joby is a diminutive of Joseph. In English use, Joby is a diminutive of Joseph. The shared background comes through Joseph: The English and French name continues the biblical Hebrew form Yosef. The idea of adding is part of the name’s original family context, rather than a later personality interpretation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1939. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Joby is a diminutive of Joseph. The history of Joseph gives this family its wider story. In Genesis, Joseph is Jacob’s son who is taken to Egypt and later reconciled with his brothers. In the New Testament, Joseph is also the husband of Mary, giving the name a distinct place in Christian tradition. Joby is a variant of Job. The history of Job gives this family its wider story. In biblical tradition, Job is the name of the eponymous hero of the Book of Job.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Joby through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,242
- 1,174 boys · 68 girls
- Most popular year
- 1976
- 45 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +100%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 10 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 37 in 1977. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,364 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.
Joby’s family of names
In English usage, Joby is a diminutive of Joseph. Joby has a related form in Job. Joby has a related form in Jobey.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Joby
- Joby TalbotBritish composerborn 1971
- Joby BakerCanadian actor and painter1934–2026
- Joby WrightAmerican basketball coachborn 1950
- Joby WarrickAmerican journalist (born 1960)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Joby, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Josip
“God shall add” · “God will add”
>99% boys
Joselito
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Zef
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% boys
Jef
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Jessup
“God shall add”
>99% boys
Giuseppe
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% boys
Pepe
“God will add” · “God shall add”
>99% boys
Jos
“God shall add”
>99% boys