Toviyah

Toviyah is a Hebrew given name meaning "Yahweh is good" or "God is good," formed from the root tov (good) and the theophoric element Yah (a shortened form of YHWH). It appears in several transliterations, including Tovia, Toviyah, Tobiah, Tobias, and Tevi, reflecting variations in rendering Hebrew sounds into English and other languages. The name is used in Jewish and Israeli communities and is part of a broader tradition of Hebrew names that invoke the divine.

In the Hebrew Bible, the form Tobiah appears as the name of an Ammonite official who opposes Nehemiah during the reconstruction of Jerusalem's walls. Tobiah is typically depicted as an antagonist to Nehemiah and the returned exiles, often in alliance with Sanballat the Horonite. The name’s biblical attestations show the common practice of theophoric naming in ancient Israel and surrounding cultures, with transliterations varying across translations.

In modern usage, Toviyah is established as a male given name in Jewish communities. In Israel, it is commonly rendered as Tovia or Toviyahu, while in English-speaking contexts it may appear as Tobias or Tobiah. The name remains one of several Hebrew theophoric names that embed the divine element within a personal name, reflecting its historical and cultural resonance.