Obi is a masculine name and is pronounced as O-bi. Its origin is of Nigeria, probably of the Igbo language of a particular tribe living in West Africa. The meaning of Igbo is “heart”. Obi is a very rare first name and is a common surname.
Obi is also used in Africa as the short form of Obinna which means the heart of the father or God’s heart. In the Igbo tribe of West Africa, this name is usually given to the first male childand also to the dwelling of the head of the household in the family’s compound.
Even though the word means “heart”, Obi, in West Africa is referred to an object, charm or fetish used in a religious practice. It is a form of a religious belief of African origin practiced in some parts of West Indies and Jamaica.