Namewise

David vs Tobias

David and Tobiascompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #88 and Tobias #15 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #45 and Tobias #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #71 and Tobias #352 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, David was ranked #73 and Tobias #116 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, David was ranked #104 and Tobias #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.

David and Tobias over time

David and Tobias appear together in 4 published lists, across 139 years of shared records. David held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Tobias in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

David reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Tobias in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1993, Tobias moved ahead of David in Norway · Boys — #63 and #69 the year before became #65 and #63.

  • Longest-running competitions

    David and Tobias were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #73 and #116.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — David #31 in 2005, Tobias #1 in 2005.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys56 shared years, 1967–2025

    David held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Tobias in 33.

    Highest recorded here: David #31 in 2005, Tobias #1 in 2005.

    The order changed in 1993: Tobias moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #63 and #69; by 1993 that had become #65 and #63.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #88, Tobias #15.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1965–2025

    David held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Tobias in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #1 in 1985, Tobias #222 in 1965.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #45, Tobias #676.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    David held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Tobias in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #32 in 1996, Tobias #98 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: David #73, Tobias #116.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2024

    David held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Tobias in 0.

    Highest recorded here: David #9 in 1997, Tobias #177 in 2024.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: David #104, Tobias #177.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving David

Pairs where David shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Tobias

Pairs where Tobias shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of David, Tobias
FieldDavidTobias
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'beloved', with a possible secondary sense of 'uncle' for the root.Traditionally understood to mean 'God is good' or 'the Lord is good', from a Hebrew phrase.
OriginBiblical HebrewHebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition
Pronunciation/ˈdeɪvɪd//tʊ.ˈbiː.as/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #45 (2025)Norway · Boys #15 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • David is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Tobias is recorded with a Hebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition origin.
  • David and Tobias both have 2 syllables.
  • David's recorded meaning differs from Tobias's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

David

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #167 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2018

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #73 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Tobias

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1967–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2005 (recorded 1967–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #116 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys