Given name & surname
Obi
“having a big heart”
Obi is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “having a big heart.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “having a big heart.”
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2007. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Obi through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 299
- 299 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 37 babies
- 2025
- 29
- #3,823 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +188%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 29 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,823 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 187.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 441 as a first name in 2020; 1,895 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Obi’s family of names
Obi has a related form in Obie. Obi has a related form in Oby. Obi has a related form in Obea.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Obi
- Obi ToppinAmerican basketball player (born 1998)
- Obi Ikechukwu CharlesNigerian footballerborn 1985
- Obi NwakanmaNigerian poet
- Obi Emmanuel MonekeNigerian footballerborn 1983
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Obi, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Aitor
Aitor is a masculine given name from Basque. It is used in Spanish and Basque.
>99% boys
Kohen
Kohen is a masculine given name from Hebrew.
98% boys · 2% girls
Kepa
“as solid as a stone”
>99% boys
Iker
“a visitor”
>99% boys
Taha
“the firstborn child”
>99% boys
Zayne
“one who is bold”
99% boys · 1% girls
Harutyun
Harutyun is a masculine given name from Armenian.
>99% boys
Osiel
>99% boys