Toye
Of unknown meaning and origin, its rarity may suggest an invented or diminutive form.
Name Census estimates that about 299 living Americans carry the first name Toye. It is a predominantly female name (94.9% of registrations). The average person named Toye today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Toye births was 1971 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Toye. 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
299
~ 1 in 1,146,336 Americans
Peak year
1971
17 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
1999 SSA rank
#9,246
Tracked since 1912
Gender
Gender distribution for Toye
Toye leans heavily female at 94.9% of total registrations, but 21 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Toye as a male name
- Ranked #11,468 in 1999
- 5 male births in 1999
- Peak: 1976 (6 births)
Toye as a female name
- Ranked #9,246 in 1985
- 7 female births in 1985
- Peak: 1971 (17 births)
Popularity
Toye: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Toye from the 1910s through to the 1990s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 124 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Toye 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 Toye during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Toyes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Toye
The given name Toye has its origins in the Yoruba language, spoken by the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria and parts of neighboring countries in West Africa. The name is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th to 15th centuries.
Toye is derived from the Yoruba word "toyé," which translates to "wealth has returned" or "prosperity has come back." The name carries a connotation of good fortune, abundance, and renewed prosperity. It was likely given to children as a hopeful expression of the family's or community's aspirations for a prosperous future.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Toye can be found in the oral traditions and folklore of the Yoruba people. It is mentioned in certain proverbs and wise sayings that have been passed down through generations, reflecting the cultural significance of the name.
Historically, the name Toye has been associated with a few notable figures in Yoruba culture and history. One example is Toye Kéhindewhich, a renowned 17th-century Yoruba warrior and military strategist known for his bravery and leadership in defending the Oyo Empire against external threats.
Another prominent individual bearing the name Toye was Toye Ayansola, a respected Yoruba poet and oral historian from the late 19th century. He was known for his mastery of the Yoruba language and his contributions to preserving the cultural heritage and traditions of the Yoruba people through his poetic works.
In more recent times, the name Toye gained recognition through Toye Ilori, a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist born in 1940. He founded the Toye Ilori Foundation, which has played a significant role in supporting education and community development initiatives in Nigeria.
Toye Arulogun, born in 1935, was a prominent Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist who advocated for democracy and the rule of law in his country. He was appointed as the first Ombudsman of Nigeria in 1975.
Lastly, Toye Sheesan, born in 1947, is a Nigerian artist and sculptor known for his intricate wood carvings and sculptures that depict traditional Yoruba themes and cultural motifs.
While the name Toye has its roots in the Yoruba culture of West Africa, it has gained recognition and use in various parts of the world, transcending its cultural origins and carrying the essence of its meaning – a symbol of prosperity and renewed fortune.
People
Toye + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Toye as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Toye: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Toye?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 299 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Toye 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 1,146,336 US residents.
Is Toye a common name?
We classify Toye as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 409 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Toye most popular?
The single biggest year for Toye was 1971, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Toye is about 57 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Toye a female name?
Yes, 94.9% of people registered as Toye in the SSA data are female. 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.