View Message

I don't think of Leo as a nn at all. The Leo people I've known have had it as a full name, and I've known Leon people who only go by Leon (which I dislike). The only nn I've seen in use for Lionel is Li, pronounced Lee. Leonardo only works for me in an Italian or Spanish context.

I absolutely adore Leo! I actually named my dog Leonidas "Leo". I kinda regret it now because I really cannot find a boy name I love as much! I think Leo can definitely work it's own. I personally prefer longer names (they are fun to say) but that's a personal preference. Out of the two I like Leonardo more but the NARD part in Leonardo always gets me.

---

Other ideas:
Aurelio
Leander
Leopold

This message was edited 4/30/2017, 10:03 AM

Heh...you could always use Prudencio as a full name, and Leo as a nickname. That's what my great-grandfather did.

---

I would just name the kid Leo, if it were me. No one would think it was weird.

Leo is not a nickname, though it can be used as such.

---

My grandson is called Leo, but his full name is Leonidas. My daughter wanted to use just Leo, but my then son-in-law wanted it to be a nickname. She suggested Leopold, he wanted Leonidas, and he won the day. Not that my daughter doesn't love Leonidas, she does. But she is like me----no nicknames as full names, so if she initially wanted to use just Leo, you can rest assured that it's not just a nickname, but a full name in its own right.

---

I used to think that Lucy was a nickname, because it can be used as one for Lucille, but it was pointed out to me here on BtN that it is a name in its own right as well. So I've been set straight and can feel free to love Lucy as a full name.

---

I think Leo works as a nickname for Leonardo, but it's too much of a stretch for Lionel. There's also Leopold and Leonidas. But really if you like Leo, there's no impediment to just using Leo, even if you are a "no nickname on the birth certificate" purist like me.