Holding steady.
Popularity of Obbie since 1912
Babies named Obbie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1920, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Obbie's real moment was 1912.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 34 |
| 1920s | 53 |
| 1930s | 56 |
| 1940s | 65 |
| 1950s | 45 |
| 1960s | 30 |
| 1970s | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 7 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Obbie is a rare diminutive-style name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1912, its peak year, before settling into a stable but extremely low birth count, with no rank in any subsequent decade. Its trajectory shows no revival, and the name has never been recorded in any top state lists. The etymology is unclear: it may descend from the biblical Obadiah or draw from the Igbo Obi, but the earliest American evidence suggests it was coined as a familiar form, possibly influenced by the popular -ie suffix of the era. Parents drawn to forgotten early-20th-century names might pair Obbie with sisters like Nellie or Effie or brothers like Elbie or Albie.
The name Obbie dates to the early 20th century in the United States, first recorded in 1912. It is likely a diminutive or phonetic variant of Obadiah, a Hebrew name meaning 'servant of God,' or possibly a respelling of the Igbo name Obi (meaning 'heart'). The name has never been common, with its peak usage in its debut year.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Obbie
Names that share Obbie's style, for a brother or sister.
