To think "Leo" isn't necessarily short for anything else?

[Caff2]

just that...

[mrscumberbatch]

Well it is a derivative name...

A bit like being called Beth or Cathy or Steve...

[Caff2]

Popes called Leo though, and saints. Not Steve...(I know all about Cathy - check my user name!) and I think Leo is different.

[SaucyJack]

I would never assume it was short for anything (Leonard?). It's a name in it's own right.

[PurpleSwift]

YANBU. it may be short for something. It may not be, YANBU to assume it isn't though.

[AgentZigzag]

It doesn't have to be short for anything else IMO, it's a legit stand alone name.

Why are you asking though?

[Caff2]

One of my sons is Leo plus a middle name, but just Leo - not Leopold or Leonard or anything else.

[Caff2]

Someone asked me what it was short for.

[BillyBanter]

YANBU.

On the other hand, asking what it's short for because she thinks it might be short for something is hardly worth getting annoyed about, if you are annoyed.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I think I would assume it was short for something to be honest.

It is funny how Leonardo is so much more appealing then Leonard though, as a Brit

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I like Leo more than any of the names it can be a diminutive of though, if that helps?

[Caff2]

I'm not annoyed, but she said it was a nickname, and I think it's an ordinary name. I also have a Sam, but his full name is Samuel. Sam I think is a nickname, Leo just an ordinary fairly common name!

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Hmmm...I think I see what you mean.

But saying that, to me Katie is a nickname regardless of how many standalone Katie's there are.

I'd be surprised if the woman you're talking about had met many Leo's with a longer "proper" name. Not least because Leonard in the UK is usually Len, so she'd have had to have met a fair few Leonardo's!

[Caff2]

I agree re Katie - my sister in law is just Katie and I see that as a nickname (again, see my username! ;) ), but look: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_I

No Saint Katies are there?

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Haha! No!

I would like to retract my previous statement saying I would assume Leo was a nickname...having given it though, I wouldn't.

My last post makes it clear why!

Sam and Leo are great names for brother by the way.

[Caff2]

Thanks! We wanted Theodore, so Theo, but my mil hated it so much she actually CRIED, hence Leo as a compromise that we liked and didn't make family members weep!

[MrsMook]

All the Leos I've taught have had it as their given name rather than an abbreviation. The only Leonardo I know has 4 legs and purrs.

It's Leo the star sign, not Leonard!

[Chloerose75]

To me Leo is a full name, I mean it's not often you come across a Leopold or something.

It's not like Steve which is definitely a nickname.

[Caff2]

Well, he seems to have become affectionately known as Leolicious, so maybe we should lengthen his official name to that...

[Alisvolatpropiis]

DO IT!

[Caff2]

[Oldandcobwebby]

It is a contraction of Leopold. I can't understand why people don't use the proper, full form of names, and keep the Jacks,Toms, Sams, etc., for nicknames.

[Caff2]

Why did Saint Leo (circa 400 - 461) not use his full name then, Oldandcobwebby?

[BillyBanter]

It is a contraction of Leopold. I can't understand why people don't use the proper, full form of names, and keep the Jacks,Toms, Sams, etc., for nicknames.

Because they don't want to. Why should they be held to using the longest version of a name just because you have a paucity of understanding?

[BillyBanter]

Please, please, please register his name as Leolicious!

If you have already registered his birth you can change it for free for up to a year.