Is Toby a boring name?

[CravingCoffeeCake]

Due very soon with baby boy and I am still really struggling with a name! We had chosen a name, but I started having doubts and now we’re back to square one.

One of original names we had shortlisted was Toby, but I was put off it because it just seems too….standard? For context, we already have a little girl with a fairly uncommon first name. My concern is if we call baby boy Toby is it going to look like we’ve just not bothered to think of a more unusual name for him? I just remember being so excited to announce baby girls name and see everyone’s reaction but feel like with Toby people might be a bit underwhelmed.

Middle name would probably be either Toby Thomas or Toby Theodore; my OH is a big fan of Toby Thomas but to me this makes it feel even more of a basic name. My favourites were Arley Thomas or Milo Thomas but OH isn’t sold on these.

Also, OH does not like Tobias or Tobiah which I have previously suggested so they wouldn’t be an option. I don’t like Tobin which I have seen come up previously.

Any opinions or names suggestions would be great 😌

I really like Toby. It makes me think of cricket whites.

So is it Toby, or not Toby? (Sorry) I love the nane Toby Thomas.

I like the name Toby and see it as a one of those rare boys names that’s traditional but not too dated, overused or “out there”. I don’t see it as boring personally.

I have a daughter with a very unusual name and then a Toby (Tobias formally). I didn't feel I had to have matching popularity, I just liked the name and it suits him.

I think it’s a slightly more current version of Keith.

I think Toby is lovely and I’ve never met any - I’ve met a couple of little Arleys and loads of Milos.

Keith?! 😆

I love Toby.
Or Keith, whatevs!
Toby Keith?

I really like the name Toby and only know two - one adult one child.

Milo is fine, there’s a lot of them.

Never heard of Arley, sounds like an invented hybrid of Harley and Arlo. Round here I’d assume it was Harley with the H being dropped.

I really like it but my mum works at Toby Carvery so I couldn't have it. Its a good name.

I know four Tobys, and none of them are human.

Wrong play, @Mcgooch23 .

How about Ptolomy ('p' is silent)? NN Tolly

Ptolemy is the usual spelling.

I love Toby (so much nicer than Arley)

I have a Toby so I'm a bit biased

I really like Toby. It was on my list but DH vetoed it, boo. He thought it was chavvy but I have no idea where he got that association from, it's the opposite of that in my mind!

Toby Thomas might be a bit too Tank Engine-y.

From working in a secondary school I observe that girls often like having unusual, different, interesting names and boys often hate it. This is maybe pandering to stereotypes but I'm sure most boys would rather be Jack, Toby, Joshua, Will ( all popular but nice names in my school)than anything exciting

I’ve only ever known two Tobys, so it’s not that common around here. One would be in his mid-thirties now and the other is a few years younger. I think if I was going to use it, I’d put a long form of the name on the birth certificate. Toby is very sweet, but Tobias looks more grown up.

Love the name!

I think Toby is a nice name. Not unusual but also not overused or too common.

I know two - an 11 year old in Australia and a 9 year old in England.

What?

Toby is a young man with big round eyes. He looks innocent but swears like a trooper.

Keith is 75 and potters about his allotment and the golf course wearing loud knitwear. He has all day to chat, and assumes that everyone else does as well.

I don't, I think of a ruddy cheeked 6'4" rugby player with a beautiful accent

Really like Toby. Not met any young ones, know one in his 20s.

But agree with a PP that Toby Thomas just makes me think of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends books!

I definitely prefer Toby Theodore between the two, but would equally be open to other middle names if anyone has suggestions ☺️

Toby and Theodore are both classic names that you can't go wrong with. I also like the following:

Sebastian
Zachary
Benjamin
Raoul
Micah
Liam
Adam
Moses