Obi is a distinctive choice, ranked #968 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Obi in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#968
About the Name Obi
Obi is climbing rapidly up the charts, having climbed 83 places in just five years. Its best recorded rank was #758 in 2022 — and current momentum suggests it could challenge that mark again. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1998.
Obi is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Obi
Unlikely. With around 32 UK babies named Obi per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Obi in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Obi is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 83 places over the last five years to #968 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Obi is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Obi include: Obi Cubana — Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, is a Nigerian businessman, socialite, entertainer and philanthropist.; Powell Obinna Obi — Powell Obinna Obi is a Japanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for J1 League club Vissel Kobe.; Peter Obi — Peter Gregory Obi is a Nigerian politician and businessman who served as the governor of Anambra State from 17 March 2006 until his impeachment on 2 November....
Obi does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Obis in the wild.
32
UK babies named Obi (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 83 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Obi
Likely around 1 other Obi in the class
UK Popularity (1998–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Obi
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, is a Nigerian businessman, socialite, entertainer and philanthropist. He is the chairman of the Cubana Group.
Peter Gregory Obi is a Nigerian politician and businessman who served as the governor of Anambra State from 17 March 2006 until his impeachment on 2 November 2006. Reinstated on 9 February 2007, he continued his tenure until 2010 when he was re-elected for a second term which ended on 7 March 2014.
Chidozie Obi-Martin, commonly known as Chido Obi, is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Manchester United.
Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi , popularly known as Evangelist Ebuka Obi, is a Nigerian Catholic preacher and prophet. He is the founder and Spiritual Director of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach (ZPMO), a non-denominational Christian prayer ministry based in Ago-Okota, Lagos, Nigeria.
Obi Wali was a minority rights activist, politician, distinguished senator, literary scholar, and an orator from Nigeria. Among his achievements, he fought for the cause of the Ikwerre ethnic minorities and argued that African literature should be written in African languages.