Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Toby and Theo are crazily popular!

43 replies

haleandhearty · 29/05/2015 21:28

Every other baby/toddler I meet has one of the above names!
Why have they suddenly become so popular? Where did they come from?
Is there a celeb/Eastenders connection I'm missing?

Just out of interest really!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 30/05/2015 17:22

Think I might live in the same place as you liveinalighthouse! Either that or there are lots of unimaginative people in the country!

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 30/05/2015 16:55

I beg to differ. Where I'm from, there's an abundance of Harrys Alfies Charlies Oscars Olivers.
I've only met one Theo. He was a lovely little boy and never met a Toby. Both beautiful and as far as I'm concerned under used names.
If I hear another baby boy named one of the ones I've quoted above I swear I'll scream. FGS they're not the only boys names on the planet. Broaden your horizons. See further!

changingagain · 30/05/2015 16:17

I like Theo (Theodore) for DS, I first heard it as the main character in a book I read last year. MN is putting me off though as so many people say it's over used. I thought it was unusual before looking on here but DS will be our first and we don't know that many young children.

Maladicta · 30/05/2015 11:50

My Toby's the only one at his infant school, there's one at juniors.
I know a couple of Theos but certainly not to the level I'd say made them fashionable.

codandchipstwice · 30/05/2015 11:45

My Theo is 10 and only Theo I knew back then was 50+. Was a toss up between that and Thomas, and there's only him and one other in his 350+ school. Wanted to call his sister Dorothy until realised was in effect the same name

MamaLazarou · 30/05/2015 11:40

I don't know any Theos or Tobys. Every single baby boy of my acquaintance is called Ethan!

FluffyJawsOfDoom · 30/05/2015 11:35

Theo is a popular footballer I think?

JugglingLife · 30/05/2015 10:38

My Theo's 7 now, he's the only one in the school that I'm aware of. The plan was to call him Teddy as a nick name, never did though.

WinterBabyof89 · 30/05/2015 10:36

There are two Theos in my son's preschool class - one of them is mine!

My DH picked it. It'll likely continue to grow in popularity for a while but think it will eventually die down - doubt it will become a 'classic' like Harry or Jack.. But who knows!?

Don't know any Tobys though.

reuset · 30/05/2015 10:29

Don't know about celebs.

But Toby's been really popular for at least a couple of decades. I have noticed it getting more so, it sort of plateaued recently in stat terms.

Theo is what I'd call more the fashion. No idea why. Though it's an appealing name I suppose Theodore I like too and Theodora

FlyDragonfly1 · 30/05/2015 10:23

There are an abundance of Oscars and Olivers where I live. I know one Tobias (Toby) and one Theo, but they're both 20!

AuntieStella · 30/05/2015 06:46

I think they must have turned into hardy perennials. There are boys of each name in my DSes (teens) classes.

Newshoesplease · 30/05/2015 03:54

Theo*

Newshoesplease · 30/05/2015 03:54

I have a Theo's who's 6.i confess. I started the trend Grin

GooodMythicalMorning · 30/05/2015 03:44

Yes. Toby is very popular where I live.

madwomanbackintheattic · 30/05/2015 03:05

Really? They were my boy's names for dd1 fifteen years ago... Weird.

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 30/05/2015 03:03

Oscar here too! Don't know any Toby's

HuftysTrain · 30/05/2015 02:50

Have they? Where I live there seems to be a law passed that states all make babies must be called Oscar with the caveat that if you don't fancy Oscar you may choose George instead.

I love Toby and Theo.