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Original poster

Leo for a girl?

61 replies

catalinablue · 20/05/2018 17:03

What do you think of using Leo for a girl?

Don't particularly like any 'longer' feminine versions (Leona, Leonie, Leonora, etc) but love Leo.

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RexManning · 20/05/2018 17:06

Please don't. It's a lovely boys' name. It's also fairly popular (#13) and rising steadily so there is a very good chance that at some point in her schooling she will end up in classes with one or more male Leos.

Lea? Lia?

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 20/05/2018 17:06

No sorry. It's a boys name and should stay that way. Do you not like Lia. That's very pretty and similar to Leo

theplanetjanet · 20/05/2018 17:06

Totally your call, I mean you could call her Geoff or Rodney if you felt like it! Leo is a boys name though & that is what pretty much everyone she ever meets will think. If you give her the longer version but call her Leo as a nickname then at least she has choices when she’s older.

gravytrains · 20/05/2018 17:07

Nope!

pepperpop · 20/05/2018 17:08

Not keen, how about Cleo?

flumpybear · 20/05/2018 17:08

Sorry but it's a boys name, like Thomas, doesn't work for a girl, but Leona leone lia Lelia Leila are fine, just shorten it!

flumpybear · 20/05/2018 17:09

Cleo! Brilliant!!

Mannix · 20/05/2018 17:09

I know a female Leo (adult). I've always assumed it was short for something but maybe not!

Starlight2345 · 20/05/2018 17:09

Nope lovely boys name

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 20/05/2018 17:10

Agree with others at least give her the choice. Imagine if your parents had called you Leo and you spent everyday of your life with people naturally assuming you would be a boy or a man. That's every time a new teacher comes into school, every time she applies for a job, every time she fills in any sort of paperwork just think how tedious it would be. Call her Leo by all means but give her a longer name such as Leonora so she has a choice not to always be correcting people.

EvilTwins · 20/05/2018 17:14

I teach a girl who has a boy's name (think Gabriel, not Gabrielle, but not that) and whilst everyone she sees every day is fine with it now, she has to explain every time she meets someone new that it is Gabriel, and yet, it's pronounced that way, and that it's not Gabrielle, and no, she's not Gabby.

barfotoliv · 20/05/2018 17:24

I know a female Leo very well and I love it. In my mind Leo is a girl's name now. However she is not from the UK - I don't know if you would get away with it to the same extent here!

zzzzz · 20/05/2018 17:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AyeWhySwim · 20/05/2018 17:32

I love it. Also knew a female Leo growing up and always thought it was a great name - strong but nice sounding. I think hers was short for Leonora.

JaretsGirlfren · 20/05/2018 17:36

I really like it actually, and have never been keen on it for a boy maybe because I got bit by one when I was a nursery nurse sounds like a strong female name to me, I’d go for it!

Somersetlady · 20/05/2018 17:39

Not fair on your child.

SemperIdem · 20/05/2018 17:47

No

NataliaOsipova · 20/05/2018 17:51

I wouldn't. Save it for a future son. As others have suggested, use Leah/Lia or Cleo or Leona instead.

MistAmougstElephants · 20/05/2018 17:52

I love it! I thought it was a unisex name.
If your worried though how about a hyphen with another name? Two first names? Leo Rose or Leo May etc.

Boooommm · 20/05/2018 17:52

I love it. I would be tempted to have a longer version on birth cert just in case they want to use it.

kaytee87 · 20/05/2018 17:53

It's a boys name, and not a particularly nice one at that.

Juanitajune · 20/05/2018 17:58

Tony Blair's son

NameChange30 · 20/05/2018 18:01

FFS

If you had a son would you call him Sophie?!

Canone · 20/05/2018 18:06

I love Leo, boy or girl.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 20/05/2018 18:11

I love it! I thought it was a unisex name.

How can anyone think Leo is a unisex name? The likes of Sam, Alex and Frankie I understand (although most called these names would still have a longer name on their birth certificate regardless of gender) but I really cannot wrap my head around how anyone could think Leo is unisex?