Gillian and Andy are expecting their second son, a brother for Sebastian Digby – "Digby."
Gillian writes:
"Our first born is called Sebastian Digby, although he is known to everyone as Digby. Although we still love the name Sebastian, after he was born it didn't quite seem to fit and when he was a couple of months old we decided he should be known as Digby instead. It suits our fun and spirited little boy so well and we are pleased to have not yet met another child with the same name.
We have recently found out our second baby is going to be another boy and we are so far really struggling to find a name that will match with Digby's. We would like a name that is unusual, quirky yet traditional and probably English in origin. My husband and I both like Barnaby although he had vetoed this on the grounds that he has two friends with this name. My husband loves the name Basil but unfortunately I don't like it at all."
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It's such a shame that Barnaby is off the table, as that is definitely one of the first names I would suggest to compliment Digby.
Digby is such a delightfully friendly name! It’s a surname-turned-first name that comes from the English aristocracy, giving it a traditional-but-not-mainstream feel alongside a cheerful shabby-chic vibe. These attributes are what I've held in my mind when compiling these suggestions.
Quirky familiar-but-not-commonplace choices:
Monty – If Digby is fun-loving yet refinied, so too is genial Monty. Known yet uncommon and stands well on its own, though Montague or Montgomery are equally pleasing longer forms.
Murray – If Monty is on the right lines but just not quite right, how about this equally friendly old-timer? Murray is a Scottish surname-turned-firstname taken from Moray in Scotland, and ultimately derived from the Gaelic muir "sea."
Rufus – Friendly and refined Rufus is an undeniably cool name that has a rising profile yet still feels unexpected and quirky. In a similar vein – and also worth considering – is affable Ralph.
Felix – A solid and traditional name with a hint of the shabby-aristocrat shared by Digby.
Gus – Adorable old-timer Gus is as solid as they come with a fun-loving style. I was served by a young (20 something) Gus while out shopping recently and seeing "Gus" on his name-tag just made me smile. Gus is such a delightfully friendly name – you can’t help it!
Though it works perfectly well on its own, there are also loads of fantastic names that Gus can be short for including carefree Angus, lively Fergus, stately Magnus and regal Augustus.
Atticus – Speaking of Gus, I always think that it would make an equally great nickname for quirky, august Atticus
Otto – An affable choice that is familiar but not common. Stylish Otto is bold and masculine with a crusty-cute vibe to boot.
Hector – A strong, striking and debonair name with a Classical heritage and a dash of Highland-hero.
Rafferty – A genial and dashing surname-turned-first name that feels distinguished yet down-to-earth. Raffy, Rafe and Rhett all work as nicknames if you wanted to shorten it.
Percy – Like Digby, there is something delightfully unexpected and charming about Percy. Perhaps its because it is a serious name that endearingly sweet at the same time. Percival and Peregrine are two longer forms also worth considering.
Wilfred – Isn’t Wilfred just plain adorable? Traditional and sturdy with a great literary heritage, from the hero of Ivanhoe to poet Wilfred Owen.
Walter – A name of two halves: comfy grandad-chic and swashbuckling pirate. Once a perennial British staple, with namesakes ranging from explorer Sir Walter Raleigh to novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott, Walter is now a sweet but unexpected choice.
Off the beaten track:
Redvers – Back at the turn of the 20th century, Redvers was a hit name thanks to General Sir Redvers Buller (1839–1908) who rose to national fame when he was sent out as commander of the British forces fighting the Boers in South Africa in late 1899.Thanks to his popularity, his name even reached #50 in 1900 and, though it declined in use steeply by 1903, the name was passed on to sons and grandsons for several decades afterwards. Though it is rare now, its Victorian hero-heritage gives it a perfect pedigree.
Winston – Speaking of heroes, how about quirky-traditional Winston? Like Digby, it is a surname-turned-first name with a link to the British aristocracy. A strong name with a friendly feel.
Ewart – Another notable Victorian celebrity-inspired name is the affable Ewart, which came into use as a given name thanks to Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone but has been borne by several notable people including Scottish screenwriter Ewart Adamson (1882–1945), Irish poet Ewart Milne (1903–1987), British explorer, politician, and entrepreneur Ewart Grogan (1874–1967) and recipient of the Victoria Cross William Ewart Boulter (1892–1955). The surname itself derives from a medieval form of Edward.
Roscoe – This breezy surname-first name, which shares Digby's northern English Viking place-name roots, was used as a hero-honour-name in America thanks to US senator Roscoe Conkling (1829-1888), a worthy Radical Republican who was strongly opposed to slavery.
Thackaray – A surname which shares Digby's Norse heritage and refined qualities and is notable thanks to novelist William Makepeace Thackeray.
Zebedee – A quirky and spirited Biblical name which has the same bouncy syllables as Barnaby.
Gulliver – A literary name which has the heart of an adventurer.
Emrys – An ancient Welsh name, traditionally derived from the Latin Ambrosius "immortal," which is steeped in legend and lore. Long associated with the legends of King Arthur as the "real man" behind Merlin, Emrys has a lovable and sturdy quality.
Clive – A sweet old-timer which first came into use as a given name thanks to Major-General Robert Clive (1725-1774) "Clive of India," a British officer and adventurer who was Commander-in-Chief of British India. The name was further established and given literary credentials when William Makepeace Thackeray used Clive for the name of one of the central characters in The Newcomes (1853-5).
I hope this has been of use. Best wishes with the name hunting.
