Boy · #3,886 in 2026

Obey

Name: Popularity of the name Obey in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Obey, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#3,886

Peak Rank

#3,815 (1920)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1920

First Year

1955

Last Year

1920

Peak Year

#3815

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Obey

Obey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1920, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 6 Obeys were born — ranking #3,815 that year. As of 2026, Obey ranks #3,886 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 16 Obeys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Obey

Phonetically similar names — useful when Obey is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Oboe
Obi
Obie
Oba
Oby
Obo
Obot
Obu
Ohba
Ebay
Abbe
Abay

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Obey

What does the name Obey mean?

Obey is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1920. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Obey in 2026?

In 2026, Obey ranks #3,886 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Obey most popular?

Obey reached its peak popularity in 1920, ranking #3,815 that year with 6 babies given the name.

Is Obey a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Obey is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Obey?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Obey include Goff, Elzear, Marden. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Obey

Obey is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1920 and has accumulated 16 births in the dataset. Obey's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #3,815. Use the chart and map above to compare Obey's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.