| Gideon | Tobias | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | hewer, feller | God is good |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | GID-ee-un | toh-BY-us |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2017 (1,161) | 2016 (1,523) |
| In 2025 | 993 | 1,201 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Gideon | Tobias |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,236 | 7,443 |
| 2010s | 9,221 | 9,410 |
| 2000s | 3,460 | 4,811 |
| 1990s | 1,089 | 2,266 |
| 1980s | 704 | 1,807 |
| 1970s | 402 | 2,102 |
| 1960s | 207 | 576 |
| 1950s | 160 | 243 |
| 1940s | 120 | 160 |
| 1930s | 115 | 107 |
| 1920s | 226 | 155 |
| 1910s | 185 | 144 |
| 1900s | 40 | 37 |
| 1890s | 24 | 23 |
| 1880s | 81 | 38 |
From the Hebrew verb gada, 'to hew down, cut off,' hence 'hewer' or 'feller' — fitting the judge who cut down Baal's altar (Judges 6). The common 'mighty warrior' gloss is a secondary association from his role, not the meaning of the root; because no noun is formed from the verb, the exact nuance stays somewhat uncertain.
From the Hebrew Toviyya, “God is good.”
Tobias is more popular than Gideon today: about 1,201 US babies were given the name Tobias in 2025, compared with 993 named Gideon.
Gideon means hewer, feller (hebrew origin), while Tobias means God is good (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Gideon first appears in 1880 and Tobias in 1880, so Gideon has the longer recorded history.