Obie
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by The Village Voice and currently by the American Theatre Wing to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after the 2014 ceremony, the American Theatre Wing became the joint presenter and administrative manager of the Obie Awards.
Meaning & Origin of Obie
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by The Village Voice and currently by the American Theatre Wing to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after the 2014 ceremony, the American Theatre Wing became the joint presenter and administrative manager of the Obie Awards.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Obie
As a girl name
Obie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1900, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1916, when 13 Obies were born — ranking #2,368 that year. As of 2026, Obie ranks #5,243 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 271 Obies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Obie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 88 Obies were born — ranking #696 that year. As of 2026, Obie ranks #4,956 for boys with 20 births, rising sharply (+34% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Obies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Obie
Phonetically similar names — useful when Obie 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 Obie
What does the name Obie mean?
How popular is Obie in 2026?
When was Obie most popular?
In which U.S. states is Obie most popular?
Is Obie a unisex name?
What names go well with Obie?
About the name Obie
Obie is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Obie's peak popularity came in 1924 when it ranked #457. Use the chart and map above to compare Obie's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1924 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.