UK boy's name
Jobey
A diminutive form of the biblical name Job meaning "persecuted" or "afflicted".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jobey is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Jobey popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 6 births.
This profile covers 58 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 2004 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 58 living people in the UK are called Jobey. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jobey ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 6 boys were registered as Jobey.
- • About 58 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jobey as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2017
6 births
Estimated living
58
2026
Meaning
What does Jobey mean?
The name Jobey has its origins in the Old English language, which was spoken by the Anglo-Saxons in Britain from the 5th to the 11th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Old English name "Iobeorht," which means "bright" or "shining." The name was later influenced by the Norman French language after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, and it evolved into various spellings, including Jobey, Jobe, and Joby.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jobey can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named "Iobeorht" in the county of Norfolk. This suggests that the name was already in use among the Anglo-Saxon population before the Norman conquest.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Jobey was relatively uncommon but can be found in various historical records and documents. One notable figure bearing this name was Jobey of Kent, a 13th-century English nobleman and landowner who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls, a series of annual financial records maintained by the English Exchequer.
In the 16th century, a Jobey Tompkins was recorded as a merchant and alderman in the city of London. He played a significant role in the development of trade and commerce in the city during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another notable figure was Jobey Harrington, an English soldier and explorer who accompanied Sir Walter Raleigh on his expeditions to the Americas in the late 16th century. Harrington's accounts of these voyages provided valuable insights into the early exploration of the New World.
In the 17th century, a Jobey Smythe was a prominent member of the Puritan community in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was known for his involvement in the establishment of the first public school system in the colony and played a crucial role in shaping the education system in the early days of the English settlements in North America.
Despite its historical roots, the name Jobey has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, and its usage has been limited compared to other English names. However, it has endured as a unique and distinctive name, carrying with it a sense of tradition and a connection to the rich linguistic heritage of the Anglo-Saxon and Norman French cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jobey over time
The chart below shows babies named Jobey registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jobey, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jobey by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jobey 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 | #4491 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4375 | 32 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3631 | 19 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Jobey
- Jack 188,738
- Joshua 145,192
- James 141,878
- Joseph 102,259
- Jacob 93,754
- Jake 66,896
- Jamie 41,243
- Jordan 36,750
- Jayden 28,921
- Jude 24,156
- John 22,240
- Joe 19,164
FAQ
Jobey: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jobey in the UK right now?
In 2023, Jobey was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Jobey most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 6 babies registered as Jobey in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jobey?
A diminutive form of the biblical name Job meaning "persecuted" or "afflicted".
How many people are called Jobey in the UK?
A total of 58 babies have been registered as Jobey across the 16 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.