UK boy's name
Cobey
Possibly derived from the name Jacob or Coby, a diminutive form.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Cobey is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Cobey popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 22 births.
This profile covers 316 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 2002 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 55% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 323 living people in the UK are called Cobey. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Cobey ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 22 boys were registered as Cobey.
- • Cobey ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #686 in 2015.
- • About 323 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cobey as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1951
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2011
22 births
Estimated living
323
2026
Meaning
What does Cobey mean?
The given name Cobey has its roots in the Old English word 'cob', which meant 'a seal' or 'a lump'. The name likely originated as a surname for someone who worked with seals or dealt with lumps of material, such as coal or bread. It later transitioned into a first name, though its precise origins are unclear.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Cobey dates back to the 15th century in England. One notable figure bearing this name was Cobey Holden, a merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 1400s and was involved in the city's thriving trade with continental Europe.
In the 16th century, a prominent individual named Cobey Wycliffe was a Protestant reformer and theologian who played a role in the translation of the Bible into English. His contributions to the religious landscape of that era have been well-documented.
Moving forward to the 17th century, Cobey Marlowe was an English playwright and poet who wrote several notable works, including the tragedy "Doctor Faustus". He was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of English Renaissance drama.
In the 19th century, Cobey Ainsworth was a renowned English author and biographer. He is best known for his comprehensive work, "The Life and Writings of John Milton", which shed light on the life of the celebrated poet and provided valuable insights into his literary works.
Another significant figure who bore the name Cobey was Cobey Whitehead, an American aviator and engineer who lived in the early 20th century. He is credited with designing and building some of the earliest successful aircraft and played a pivotal role in the development of aviation technology.
While the name Cobey may not be as common today as it once was, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made noteworthy contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cobey over time
The chart below shows babies named Cobey registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Cobey, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 22 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cobey by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cobey was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2392 | 50 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1409 | 180 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1874 | 86 | 8 |
Geography
Where Cobey is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cobey. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Cobey ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #686 in 2015.
Across the UK
Cobey in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#686 in 2015
3 years of NRS records, 9 total registered
Related
Names similar to Cobey
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Cobey: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cobey in the UK right now?
In 2024, Cobey was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Cobey most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 22 babies registered as Cobey in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cobey?
Possibly derived from the name Jacob or Coby, a diminutive form.
How many people are called Cobey in the UK?
A total of 316 babies have been registered as Cobey across the 23 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 9 more in Scotland.
Where is Cobey most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Cobey ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #686 in 2015. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.