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Baby names

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Original poster

Oliver nn Leo?

30 replies

Starrynights86 · 17/08/2019 20:42

Love Oliver but hate Ollie, love Leo but dislike leopold and Leonard. Would it be a stretch too far to have an Oliver nn Leo?

Am quite keen on a longer name as our daughter has a very long name.

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clary · 19/08/2019 19:52

Sorry for typos, my iPad hates me 😀

clary · 19/08/2019 19:51

oh yeses but all of those are traditional pet names which have been about for ages. Lord Peter Wimsey's sister (so, 1920s) is Mary and he calls her Polly, Margeurite is French/Latin for daisy and John -Jack is a really long standing nn.

Oliver otoh is not ever shortened to Leo IME. I have known a lot of Oluvers and they are all called Oliver, Ollie or Ol. Just call him Leo if you like it.

Ohyesiam · 19/08/2019 19:45

If you can have polly/ molly as a “shortening” for Mary, jack as a shortening for John, and daisy as a shortening for marguerite,( all of which I’ve encountered more than once) then you can have Leo from Oliver.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 19/08/2019 19:42

Oleander? That would be closer to giving you the Leo, but also a longer name, if that's what you want...

Cookit · 19/08/2019 19:40

I’d be totally and utterly confused if my child had a school friend Leo and there was an Oliver in the class list.

I think Leo can be used on its own but to me it’s far too faddy whereas Oliver is very popular obviously but not so faddy, I know plenty of Olivers who are in the 30s and 40s.

CatteStreet · 18/08/2019 23:49

Leo David is lovely.
Clementine is only 'long' compared to Leo when written down. Spoken, it's only three syllables to Leo's two. Not really a mismatch at all.

I nearly named one of mine Leo. Still like it.

Heh1991 · 18/08/2019 23:15

I don’t think Leo as a nickname makes sense. But it doesn’t have to could be one of those pet names that sticks and everyone knows him by anyway.

However I do think naming a boy Oliver does inevitably lead to thee Ollie nickname.

What about Leonardo and then Leo?

AverageMummy · 18/08/2019 13:31

Leo is one of my favourite names & I actually think it’s nicer when siblings have different syllables / sounds so think it goes perfectly with Clementine.
It works just as well with David or Thomas.

My only reservation is whether you love / can grow to love the name ? I really regretted my baby name to the point I ended up changing it so if you’re not sure then keep searching.

EssentialHummus · 18/08/2019 06:51

Leander for me.

Flowerspowersy · 18/08/2019 06:46

I think Clementine sounds good with Leonard or Leonardo. I'm not keen on Oliver, it's so overused.

IVflytrap · 18/08/2019 01:16

I know an Olivia with the nickname Lia, which is a similar concept. So, while you could probably get away with it, Leo is a fine name on its own, and less popular than Oliver. It goes well with Clementine, imo.

Leonardo
Galileo
Elliot, nn Lio? Tbh, that's probably a massive stretch.
Lorenzo. Also a stretch, I suppose.

As an aside, if your DH is vetoing everything you come up with, he needs to come up with some of his own suggestions, as it isn't fair of him to shoot down everything until you give in.

Ellmau · 18/08/2019 00:30

Leo and Clementine sound fine together, although I think you have to say them that way round. Either David or Thomas would work well as mn.

WarmthAndDepth · 18/08/2019 00:20

Lysander!

But really, Leo is lovely in its own right. As is Leon. But not particularly long.

Original poster
Starrynights86 · 18/08/2019 00:05

It would either be Leo David or Leo Thomas if we go with Leo, which do people like better?

Do Leo and Clementine sound nice together?

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CoffeeRunner · 17/08/2019 22:00

I second the suggestion to use Leo & then give him a longer middle name.

Leo & Oliver are very different names.

AverageMummy · 17/08/2019 22:00

Major stretch
Leo is lovely alone
Aurelio / Leander would be less of a stretch if either appeal

user1493494961 · 17/08/2019 21:57

Just use Leo, have a longer middle name.

BlueBilledBeatboxingBird · 17/08/2019 21:48

Lionel?

But honestly, Leo is great as a stand-alone name and has been since at least Pope Leo in the fifth century!

Disfordarkchocolate · 17/08/2019 21:34

Leon
Leo

Both lovely.

ComingButGoingGone · 17/08/2019 21:33

I love Leo

NoSauce · 17/08/2019 21:08

No that would be madness.

Either have Oliver and don’t shorten it or just use Leo. Both perfectly good names.

diddlediddle · 17/08/2019 21:04

It's not even a stretch, it just isn't a nn for Oliver! There's no way to make that work, it's a totally different name.

Just use Leo if you like it. However I prefer Leonardo to the other longer versions you mentioned.

BarbarAnna · 17/08/2019 20:52

Yes it’s a stretch.

And Oliver is so popular, I would just go Leo.

BertieBotts · 17/08/2019 20:51

Leonidas? I liked that for DS2 but DH said it sounded like a sneeze :o

We went for just Leo in the end and it suits him.

Original poster
Starrynights86 · 17/08/2019 20:51

I thought it was a bit of a stretch. Naming babies is hard! Leo is literally the only name my DH has suggested and I like it but I really prefer longer names but my DH just keeps saying no to anything I suggest.

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