Toba

Meaning & origin

Toba is a rare given name in the United States, first recorded in 1918. As of 2025, it ranked 7,133, with about 1 in 107,151 newborn girls receiving the name. Its peak year was 2024, though it remains uncommon. Toba has shown a rising trajectory since 1985, but its usage is so low that it may be considered a modern rediscovery rather than a mainstream revival. The name is likely a variant of Tova (Hebrew for 'good') or a short form of Bathsheba, but its scattering of early 20th-century births and lack of consistent top-state records make its precise origins difficult to pin down. Without a strong cultural or religious association in the U.S., Toba remains an obscure choice, appealing to parents seeking a distinctive, under-the-radar name.

Toba may be a diminutive or variant of the Scandinavian name Tova (derived from Hebrew Tovah, meaning 'good'), or a shortened form of Bathsheba (Hebrew, meaning 'daughter of the oath'). It also appears as a surname in Japan and other cultures, but as a given name its usage is rare and its etymology uncertain. Toba's limited historical use in the United States dates to 1918, and it has remained uncommon, occasionally given to girls.