Tobey appears 81 times at rank 1351, almost entirely on male pets. The -ey spelling distinguishes it from the standard Toby, and in this form it's most associated with actor Tobey Maguire — Spider-Man himself for a generation of Marvel fans who grew up with the Sam Raimi trilogy.
The Spider-Man Connection
Tobey Maguire played Peter Parker in three Spider-Man films between 2002 and 2007, and those films defined superhero cinema for an entire generation. His return in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) brought the character back into active cultural circulation, explaining why Tobey is appearing in current pet registries at measurable levels. Labradors and mixed breeds with an endearing, slightly-nerdy-but-heroic quality fit the reference perfectly.
Sound Profile
TOH-bee is the same phonetic territory as the more common Toby, which is itself a well-functioning call name. The -ee ending is one of the most dog-responsive sounds in pet naming, and the T- opening is clear and distinct. The -ey spelling adds a slight distinctiveness without changing how the name sounds — a purely visual differentiation.
The Counter-Reading
The -ey spelling over the standard -y is a choice that will be routinely normalized by vets, groomers, and dog parks to the more common Toby. Owners who care about the Tobey-specific spelling should be prepared to correct it consistently. The human name's background is at /names/tobias, where the etymological roots (Hebrew, meaning God is good) are documented.