Obie appears 61 times in the male-leaning pet registry at rank 1677. It's a nickname name that functions equally as a short form of Obadiah (Hebrew, "servant of God"), Obi (as in Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars), or simply a standalone name that sounds warm and approachable. The Star Wars connection is almost certainly the most active one in contemporary pet naming.
The Obi-Wan Connection
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the foundational characters in the Star Wars universe — first played by Alec Guinness in the original trilogy, Ewan McGregor in the prequels, and McGregor again in the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series (2022). The -ie diminutive of Obi is a softening move that takes the Jedi master's name and makes it pet-friendly. Chewie, Yoda, and Leia are the most common companions in the Star Wars pet naming constellation.
Sound and Nickname Function
Obie is two syllables with a warm vowel close — O-bee — that sounds affectionate and easy. It doesn't carry as powerfully as hard-consonant names, but for small to medium breeds it works perfectly. Beagles and Cocker Spaniels get warm, round-sounding names like Obie with some frequency. It also works as a standalone name with no franchise anchor, which gives owners flexibility in how they explain it.
The Counter-Read
Obie will almost always prompt a Star Wars reference from other dog owners, whether the owner intended it or not. That's a feature for most families who choose it, and a minor nuisance for those who genuinely arrived at it independently.