Why are men with the surname Clark nicknamed "Nobby"?

Question:I think it comes from the description of clerks at the turn of the 19th Century. Clerks were the white collar workers of the time, (half way house between rich and poor).

Seen as one of "us" with aspirations of grandeur, IE becoming a nob or nobleman.

Hence the nickname has stuck and men called Clark/Clarke get tagged with it.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I think it comes from the description of clerks at the turn of the 19th Century. Clerks were the white collar workers of the time, (half way house between rich and poor).

Seen as one of "us" with aspirations of grandeur, IE becoming a nob or nobleman.

Hence the nickname has stuck and men called Clark/Clarke get tagged with it.

i dont know.. i didnt even know they were nicknamed that....

After a footballer.

Nobby Clark was the signer with the pop group Slade around early 70's

The explanation given for the use of this nickname is that clerks (pronounced "clarks" in British dialects) in the City of London used to wear Nobby hats, or top hats. Alternate spellings include "Knobby" and "Clarke".

An alternate explanation for the name Nobby attached to the surname Clarke is thus: 16th century monks wrote letters for the illiterate. These monks were referred to as "Clerks". The outcome of so much writing causes callouses on the fingers "nobs" and therefore Nobby Clerks was born'

In England the term "nob" is used to refer to a member of the aristocracy and by extension a posh person. A clerk (pronounced "clark" in British dialects) would deal with the common people but would be better educated, better paid and in a position of relative power. To the uneducated, clerks were posh and therefore considered to be "nobs". Hence, nobby Clark. Clerks were also required to maintain a high standard of dress, and were paid a clothing allowance. The result was that they always appeared smart. Both the Oxford English and the English Dialect Dictionaries list nobby as being of a rich man, a nob or toff, or “smart”, and gives it a wide distribution, so smart persons were "nobby".

Nobby Clark is Cockney rhyming slang for a shark It is always shortened to Nobby (as in did you see that nobby)
It was extensively used in the army in the 40's.
Along with Chalky White, and Smugger Smith.

I just can't imagine it.. Clark Gable and and Vivien Leigh in gone with the wind and he would have been called ''Nobby Gable..'' he will turn over in his grave..

Nobby sounds like an old Victorian woman's name.. Zenobia.. a nickname for that could be ''Nobby'' but not for Clark...xx