Nobby

Nobby is slang for smart or elegant and dates, according to the OED, from 1810. Nobby is the slang adjective that derives from the slang noun nob that refers to a person of wealth or standing. Men with the surname Clark or Clarke are sometimes called 'Nobby' because during the course of the 19th century, clerks in the City of London in particular, dressed smartly and above their station to give the impression that they were men of wealth and status rather than just banking clerks. Hence from about the mid-19th century onwards, men with the surname Clark or Clarke sometimes acquired the nickname 'Nobby'. See also Nob.