Joby
A diminutive form of the name Job, derived from the Hebrew name Iyyov.
Name Census estimates that about 1,148 living Americans carry the first name Joby. It is a predominantly male name (94.5% of registrations). The average person named Joby today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Joby births was 1976 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Joby. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 298,566 Americans
Peak year
1976
45 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,262
Tracked since 1939
Gender
Gender distribution for Joby
Joby leans heavily male at 94.5% of total registrations, but 68 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Joby as a male name
- Ranked #7,981 in 2024
- 10 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1977 (37 births)
Joby as a female name
- Ranked #6,262 in 1976
- 9 female births in 1976
- Peak: 1973 (10 births)
Popularity
Joby: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Joby from the 1930s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 323 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Joby by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Joby during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jobys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Texas, California, Louisiana recorded the most babies named Joby, while Pennsylvania, Louisiana, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 8 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Joby
The given name Joby is believed to have its origins in the Hebrew language, derived from the biblical name Job. The name Job is thought to come from the Hebrew word "iyyov," which means "persecuted" or "afflicted one."
The Book of Job, one of the oldest texts in the Hebrew Bible, centers around the story of a man named Job who endures immense suffering and hardship, yet remains steadfast in his faith. This biblical figure's name likely contributed to the development of the variant spelling "Joby."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Joby can be found in the 16th century. In 1592, a man named Joby Talmash was recorded as a resident of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the renowned English playwright William Shakespeare.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Joby. In the 18th century, Joby Parsons (1708-1770) was a prominent English clockmaker and inventor known for his contributions to the development of marine chronometers.
In the world of literature, Joby Bennet (1876-1942) was an American writer and journalist who authored several novels and short stories during the early 20th century.
Moving into the 20th century, Joby Talbot (born 1971) is a contemporary British composer who has written works for various ensembles, including the Royal Opera House and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Another notable figure is Joby Burgess (born 1980), a British powerlifter and strongman competitor who has won numerous national and international competitions in his field.
While the name Joby may not be as common as some other given names, it has a rich history spanning centuries, with its roots in the ancient Hebrew culture and biblical texts, as well as a diverse range of individuals who have carried this name throughout various eras and professions.
People
Joby + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Joby as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Joby: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Joby?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,148 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Joby going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 298,566 US residents.
Is Joby a common name?
We classify Joby as "Rare". It ranks above 91% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,242 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Joby most popular?
The single biggest year for Joby was 1976, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Joby is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Joby a male name?
Yes, 94.5% of people registered as Joby in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.