Toby

[LavenderStar]

Thanks for everyone's help on my previous "Isaac vs Bruno" thread! DH and I both love Isaac but not sure what we would call any future siblings. I think a lady with an Isaac also posted it was different to her other siblings' names ... but since I am the sort of person whos shoes always match her handbag ... it would bother me if my children's names did not "match"! I'm not sure I want to be restricted to just biblical names.

SO, our new name is Toby. What does everyone think? What kind of person do you think of when you hear the name? I posted about this name ages ago and know it means something rude in Scottish but since I'm not Scottish and don't live in Scotland this doesn't bother me.

I like classic boys names like Oliver, George, Harry, James, Jack, William etc. Does Toby "go" in this sort of category of names?

My feeling is it is fairly posh (fine by me!) but also maybe a bit "wet" (not so great)?! I don't know if this is because I am thinking of Toby Macguire or Toby Anstis though!

I automatically thought of Toby Anstis too!! How about Tobias and shortening it to Toby, so he has the option of a more formal name when a professional life beckons?

I think its a fine name.

I really like it. I would avoid some names on grounds of being too posh. Sebastian has always struck me as unbearably posh.

Toby is too short to be in Sebastian's league imo.

I'm sure I've offended the mothers of Sebastians, which isn't my intention. I just mean to say, I get where you're coming from, worrying about a name being too pretentious. I don't think Toby is though.

Barnaby or Mungo and I would agree with you. Do you have the school fees!

Toby is fine! I really like it. It's been around but not in huge numbers for a long time now.

I have a one year old Toby along with a Laura, Ben and James. We don't particularly do posh and I'm Scottish and that aspect didn't bother me either! Only know one other where we live which is one of the reasons we picked it, not too unusual, not too run of the mill.

Toby is lovely. We know one (adult) with a brother Barnaby. Things like Lawrence, Elliot, Duncan and Dominic go well too IMO, better than your George, Harry list.

My nephew is Toby and we weren't sure at first but have to come to regard it as a good strong name without any real connotations to it! It isn't "out there" in the slightest and is also not too common so that your son will be in a class with lots of other Toby's (unlike, eg, Max, Jack etc).

Thanks, I don't like all the shortening of names that seems to be common nowadays. Eg I love Archie but I would have to call my son Archibald (which I'm not too keen on).

But with Toby, I think the shortened "Toby" (rather than "Tobias") is now known as a "proper" name in itself? Like Harry (which is actually short for Harold or Henry). I am not sure about Tobias ...

I think Toby is fairly posh. I guess in the realms of William rather than Sebastian though? I like fairly posh but not too posh (like Giles!)

Love it!

My ds1 would have been a Toby if a really close friend ahdn't named their ds1 Toby just a few weeks before he was born.

Lots of names go well with it too.

I really like it

Weblette, I am loving your taste in names!

Can'tsleepwon'tsleep - like the name Barny (undecided about Barnaby), but none of the other names on your list - sorry! . I don't dislike them, just don't love them I guess (Dominic is my favourite out of all of them), they are all fairly modern. What does everyone else think - is Toby traditional (George etc) or modern (Elliot etc)?

Moshimoshi, thanks, the fact you think it has no connotations but is a good strong name is exactly what I wanted to hear!

PS suggestions for middle names?
PPS I love mumsnet!

lol at the idea of Duncan being modern - Shakespeare wrote about one!

Oh really? Sorry - shows how much Shakespeare I read!

Duncan I was a Scottish King who was around in the 11th century, so def not modern!

Toby is a great name.

I have a cousin called Toby (well he is a Tobias), I think it's a lovely name.

Thanks. Not too "wet" then? And quite a strong, traditional name?

Middle name poll next!

it's a bit 1970s imho

Puppymonkey - oh no - why 1970s - like Simon and Philip?!

Mrswoolf - you mean that you don't think Toby is a "proper" name, only a nick-name?

Toby is a fab name. It's my youngest brother's name and he is kind, strong, amiable, intelligent and musical.

Not that I'm biased or anything...

He was never Tobias just Toby.

Thanks! - can I be nosy and ask what the other names of your siblings are? Also what is his middle name?

My nephew is Toby Alexander which is a nice balance of fairly traditional but not too usual. BTW my Toby is not anything other than Toby, so no Tobias on his birth certificate!

Toby Alexander is very nice indeed - goes well.

Toby (to me) is one of those names which always sounds a bit weak and wussy - like Tim.