What is the origins of the saying "thingy bob" when referring to something you can't remember the name for?

Answer 1

"thingy bob" is adapted from older expression, "thing-a-ma-bob"

thingamabob
A noun
1 dohickey, dojigger, doodad, doohickey, gimmick, hickey, gizmo, gismo, gubbins, thingamabob, thingumabob, thingmabob, thingamajig, thingumajig, thingmajig, thingummy

something whose name is either forgotten or not known
Category Tree:
entity
╚object; physical object
╚whatchamacallit; stuff; whatsis; sundry; sundries
╚dohickey, dojigger, doodad, doohickey, gimmick, hickey, gizmo, gismo, gubbins, thingamabob, thingumabob, thingmabob, thingamajig, thingumajig, thingmajig, thingummy

Answer 2

I've heard and used similar words. It's a sudden thing - seems to occur during a conversation that's moving along and then you just don't remember the word - it can change the whole direction of the conversation while the individual/s involved try to produce the word. Origin? - probably since the beginning of language

what cha ma call it

wha da ya call it

do hickey

thing a ma jig

Answer 3

I remember it as 'thinga mabob' and this was when I was a child in the '40s in London. My mother and her family used it all the time when they couldn't remember the name or didn't know the name of the object they were describing. Here in Texas my husband refers to it as one of my 'made up' words so I'd like to know too.

Answer 4

Dont know, sorry, but I visit the North bEast of England a lot and have noticed that a lot of people say "Thingy you know" when refering to to some one they think we should both know?
Not much help with your question, but I will also be interested in your answers.