I really like the name [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] for a boy, but I’m very concerned about the associations.
[name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] is a convicted Scottish serial killer and sex offender - definitely not the sort of person I’d want my child’s name to remind people of, but I’m wondering how many people would make that connection. I have to admit that I hadn’t heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] until someone mentioned his name on a previous thread of mine, but after a bit of Googling he does seem to be quite well-known.
I’m especially interested in responses from fellow Brits, but all feedback is welcome. What is your first association with the name [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think even the possibility of this connection being made renders the name completely unusable? Does it have potential as a middle name at least?
I have never heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] but I’m not from Europe either.
I will say that there was a name I really liked when naming baby#2 but the flow and syllable count of the name reminded me of US serial killer and once I made the association in my head I just couldn’t use it. I told a few people and they thought I was being ridiculous but I just couldn’t get rid of the thought once I had thought it.
I also have never heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]…and also not from Europe. I love the name [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]. Hey [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] “Ted” Bundy was an american serial killer. I would still name my son [name_u]Teddy[/name_u], Ted, or [name_m]Theodore[/name_m]…and many others have and still will. If a name is more of a one-person name like [name_m]Adolph[/name_m], I would avoid it. [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] is not a one-person name. I have heard of a couple Tobins, I am sure others have also. I have never heard of any other [name_m]Adolph[/name_m], just [name_m]Adolph[/name_m] Hitler.
Well, I live in [name_m]Boston[/name_m] where a major bridge is called the [name_u]Tobin[/name_u], as well as a rec center/school near me. So those are my first associations. I like the name. I wouldn’t worry about it, especially if you living in the UK had not heard of him. You could probably find a negative association about any name. A lot of people have negative (as in evil, murderous) associations with [name_u]Dexter[/name_u] and [name_m]Damien[/name_m], which are also two of my faves.
I’m British with Scottish connections but I’ve never heard of him, though that might be because I was too young at the time of his conviction to remember him. I haven’t heard the name on the news though, so it may be that he’s fading from the wider public consciousness as well.
I’ll echo everyone else from the US who’s never heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]. Sorry I can’t provide a more relevant view of the association, but I do know that whenever something bad happens there’s always a name in the news, often a quite common one like [name_u]Dylan[/name_u]. I think if the name’s really distinctive, a bad association is worth considering, but when it’s a little more common, very few people will make the connection.
I think of [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] as a nice alternative to [name_u]Toby[/name_u]. My first association is a local place I know called [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]'s Pizza
I’m from the UK and I’ve never heard of him. I asked my parents and they said they thought they recognised the name, but didnt know why. I think [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] is a handsome name. You could use [name_u]Toby[/name_u] as a nickname.
[name_u]Haven[/name_u]'t heard of him in Toronto either. I try to follow those types of stories because I write mystery novels but this one hasn’t caught my attention. I asked my fiance (born in [name_m]Wales[/name_m], spent a lot of time in [name_f]Scotland[/name_f] with his mother’s family) but he said it’s a recent case and he’s been in [name_f]Canada[/name_f] more than 10 years now. So he hasn’t heard of him either.
I think it’s a nice name. I also like the suggestion of [name_m]Tobias[/name_m].
If he’s not an extremely popular killer where you live (not just in [name_f]Scotland[/name_f]), then I think it’s fine. [name_f]IMO[/name_f] all of those poor parents with daughters named [name_f]Isis[/name_f] had no idea what would happen years after naming them, but the name is ruined now. Similarly here in [name_f]Canada[/name_f], we have infamous killer (ex) couple [name_m]Paul[/name_m] [name_m]Bernardo[/name_m] and [name_f]Karla[/name_f] Homolka. [name_m]Paul[/name_m] is classic enough to stand on its own, but [name_m]Bernardo[/name_m] and [name_f]Karla[/name_f] will forever be associated with them (again just my opinion). Maybe it’s because I follow those types of stories and am more familiar with them? Maybe it’s because it’s only been 20 years since they were caught?
So if where you live [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] isn’t linked to the killer, I’d consider it. But if he’s well-known there I’d consider an alternative because the name isn’t commonplace enough to be a [name_m]Paul[/name_m]: it’s more [name_m]Bernardo[/name_m], [name_f]Isis[/name_f], or [name_f]Karla[/name_f] if you know what I mean.
I’m also from the U.S. and had never heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]. It’s an unfortunate association and I don’t mean to make light of what that particular Mr. [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] did, but even if the man’s crimes and subsequent trials etc. were well-publicized around the time of his arrest, that was ten years ago at least and the memory is probably fading from the collective mind of the public. It is harder for us to shake a negative association from an uncommon name than from a very popular one (there have been plenty of crimes committed by guys named [name_m]John[/name_m], simply because there are lots of Johns, but no one thinks twice about naming a baby [name_m]John[/name_m]). For what it’s worth, the only Tobyn I know is a lovely, sweet, easy-going, kind guy, who mostly goes by [name_u]Toby[/name_u], and you might consider that spelling if it would help create distance from the unsavory character in [name_f]Scotland[/name_f]. I also think Tobyn goes very well with [name_f]Juno[/name_f].
I’m from the UK! I’ve never heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]! Neither has my parents. I love that you could use it as an alternative to [name_m]Tobias[/name_m]/[name_m]Tobiah[/name_m]/[name_u]Toby[/name_u].
I’m from the UK too and I’ve never heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] but I do know someone my age (18) named [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] it took a bit of getting used to but I think it really suits him.
I really like the name [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]! It’s lovely - I’m from [name_f]England[/name_f] and I haven’t heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] either, so I think it’s perfectly usable
I’ve never heard of [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] and I’m from the UK. If anything it reminds me of [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] [name_u]Bell[/name_u] from the Saw movie franchise but it’s not an instant connection.
I think its a very nice alternative to [name_u]Toby[/name_u]
I’m from the US and I’ve never heard of him. I like [name_u]Tobin[/name_u]! My first association is US women’s soccer player [name_u]Tobin[/name_u] [name_m]Heath[/name_m].
