Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Lenny or Leonard?

60 replies

NearlyThere91 · 03/02/2025 00:25

Please don't say if you hate the name/s. We love Lenny so much.

I think I'd like Leonard on the BC but my husband doesn't like Leonard at all. He wants pure Lenny, and he could go by 'Len' if he ever wanted to be particularly serious.

What do you think - Lenny or Leonard?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CherryFlan · 03/02/2025 00:30

Leonard

AubernFable · 03/02/2025 00:33

I think Leonard is better, short versions of names leave less room for them to grow into it- he can choose Lenny, Leo, Len.

Other names you could use with the nickname Lenny:

  • Leopold
  • Lennox
  • Lennard (alternative spelling of Leonard)
  • Leander
  • Lennart (Scandinavian and German variation of Leonard)
  • Leonato (Italian / Shakespearean name)
CherryFlan · 03/02/2025 00:38

Didn't we go through all this two days ago and then you got the thread deleted!

FirstTimeMum2025x · 03/02/2025 00:41

Prefer Lenny!

NearlyThere91 · 03/02/2025 00:42

CherryFlan · 03/02/2025 00:38

Didn't we go through all this two days ago and then you got the thread deleted!

Sorry, some of the comments were giving me anxiety. If you don't like it please don't say!

OP posts:
AmateurNoun · 03/02/2025 00:44

I like Lenny as a nickname but wouldn't put it on a birth certificate.

If your DH doesn't like Leonard then would something similar be an option? A PP mentioned Lennox and Lennon could also be an option. Liam Gallagher has a son called Lennon if I recall correctly.

AmateurNoun · 03/02/2025 00:49

Or possibly Leon? Lawrence? Lionel?

I would probably pick Leon with nn Lenny if it were me. Lovely name.

paranoiaofpufflings · 03/02/2025 01:05

I absolutely love Lenny! But I don't think I could use it alone, it's very much a nickname to me.
If DH doesn't like Leonard there are other option suggested here.
Another option is Cullen?

SnowFrogJelly · 03/02/2025 01:12

Sorry, some of the comments were giving me anxiety. If you don't like it please don't say!

Why post again then

AmateurNoun · 03/02/2025 01:19

SnowFrogJelly · 03/02/2025 01:12

Sorry, some of the comments were giving me anxiety. If you don't like it please don't say!

Why post again then

I assume in the previous post there were just lots of people criticising the name choice, instead of answering OP's question about whether to put nickname or the long name on the birth certificate.

FWIW I think Lenny and Leonard are underrated.

username462025 · 03/02/2025 01:44

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

MumChp · 03/02/2025 02:00

Leonard.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 03/02/2025 02:24

I would go with a longer version on the birth certificate but it doesn’t need to be Leonard if your husband doesn’t like it. I like the previous posters suggestion of Lennox or Lennon, both are good names.

Leonard could also be spelt Lennard

Lellamir · 03/02/2025 02:38

Leonardo?
We knew a sweet little boy called Lionel, pronounced Lee-oh-nell. Is that any better?

FWIW, I put the nick-namey version of DS name on his birth certificate, and do wish I'd put the long version. We tend to call him the even shorter version, day to day, which is actually more formal than the version with the y on the end.I know it's a 'thing' on here, to put a longer, more formal name on the BC, but it's a thing I personally, like. Leonardo is the longest version I can come up with.

SlaveToAGoldenRetriever · 03/02/2025 04:17

Leonard. Far nicer + better nickname potential with Leo/Lennie. Lenny alone is too informal

Kingofthetyrantlizards · 03/02/2025 05:41

I love Leonard - in fact, that's the name we're going to give this one if the scans are right and he's a boy - but Leo for short.

I do agree with others that Lenny is lovely but could be too informal, so Leonard, or a variation of, would be good for the BC. Though I also think that lots of people are putting shorter versions on the BC now, so maybe that won't matter when your little one is older.

Eenameenadeeka · 03/02/2025 06:13

I know of a couple of babies names Lennon with the nickname Lenny.

Firsttimebabymummy · 03/02/2025 06:31

Leonard on BC

shoopshoopdedoo · 03/02/2025 06:46

Leonard, nickname Lenny

Moreteaandchocolate · 03/02/2025 08:54

It’s a difficult one - I personally much prefer Lenny to Leonard, but I also take the point that Leonard gives options for him to choose later in life (e.g. maybe he’ll like the formality of Leonard for his CV or feel that Leo suits him more as a teen etc). However, it is a bit of a burden having a “formal” name that you dislike when you’re always known by the diminutive- e.g. I know a Charles nn Charlie who changed his name to Charlie by deed poll as an adult because he hated Charles so much.

I think times have changed and diminutives as first names are so commonplace that if I disliked the longer name I’d just pick the diminutive, personally - so that’s a very long-winded way of saying that my vote goes to Lenny!

bluebunnys · 03/02/2025 08:56

I don't like Leonard (Leo-nard?) but if you want Lenny, how about Lennard? Or Lennon?

Lavalamping · 03/02/2025 09:00

I love Leonard nn Lenny.

PreggersWithBaby2 · 03/02/2025 12:36

I would just use Lenny but if you are choosing a different name than the name you intend to actually call him just to put on a birthcert I'd go with Lennon over Leonard!

mummysmagicmedicine · 03/02/2025 12:37

Lenny could be short for Lennox or Lennon

bluebunnys · 03/02/2025 13:35

Lennon or Lennard shorten to Lenny

Wouldn't Leonardo or Leonard not shorten to Leo?