Obi
Obi is a very common given name and surname of Igbo origin. Igbo being a tonal language, Obi can, depending on its pronunciation, either mean “heart”, “chest”, “desire”, “mind” (Óbì); or describe the central part of the homestead (Òbí) where guests were traditionally received.
Meaning & Origin of Obi
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Obi is a very common given name and surname of Igbo origin. Igbo being a tonal language, Obi can, depending on its pronunciation, either mean “heart”, “chest”, “desire”, “mind” (Óbì); or describe the central part of the homestead (Òbí) where guests were traditionally received.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Obi
Obi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2007, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 37 Obis were born — ranking #3,215 that year. As of 2026, Obi ranks #3,261 for baby boys with 37 births, rising sharply (+105% over the past five years). In total, more than 343 Obis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Obi
Phonetically similar names — useful when Obi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Obi
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About the name Obi
Obi is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2007 and has accumulated 343 births in the dataset. Obi's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #3,215. Use the chart and map above to compare Obi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.