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No for Kate, yes for Leo.

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I'm probably in the minority, but I really, really don't like most diminutives of full names given as a person's full name. In the case of Kate, she would have the choice to go by Kate, Katie... and that's it. What if she wouldn't have chosen Kate for herself as a Katherine? What if she preferred Kat? Or Kitty? Kathy?

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Leo, on the other hand, can be a stand-alone name given that it's also a constellation.

In the minority, but no

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With the exception of Lola, I find all "nicknames-as-full-names" absolutely horrendous and even a little classless. Leo can stand as a name on its own because it IS a full name on its own.

Absolutely for both

Yes to Kate for sure.
Leo too, I think, just less resoundingly than Kate.

I know a Katie, who's just Katie and she's often asked if it's Katherine or Caitlin. So no. A Kate would also be asked that.

Yes.

Yes to both of them.

Yes for both.

I have a niece named Kate

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It's not short for anything. It's fine. And I've known several Leos.

Yes, and yes. I've known Kate-only and Leo-only people, and it's nothing strange.

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I prefer Leo as a stand-alone; perhaps because it is a word as well as a nn.

Sure, both are fine.

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Leo is a full name, and Kate is one of those nicknames that sounds mature, sophisticated, and has the legs to stand on its own.

Yes, to both.

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In fact, when I was younger the name Katie was quite popular stand-alone... so I see no reason why the more sophisticated sounding Kate can't do the same.

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Also - I know plenty of Leos. My own cousin is named Leo, and I have two classmates from college named Leo.

Yes to both. I think Kate and Leo are perfectly fine as full names.

Kate is certainly preferable to Katie because at least it sounds more mature and sophisticated while Katie sounds eternally youthful. That's not a slam against Katie, though. My oldest dd went by Katie for 14 years until she decided that it was time for a grownup name. In addition, there was the problem of being one of many girls named Katie at school. (Her full name is Katherine, btw, and she uses it professionally now and is very happy to have that option available to her.) It actually surprised me when she chose to go from Katie to Kate because Kate had never occurred to me. It's just so hard to predict what a child is going to like isn't it? Anyway, so while Kate can stand alone, I believe options are always a good thing. I also like the integrity of a full name. Other full name options instead of Katherine: Kathleen, Katrina, Katerina (which is what I wanted to name my dd). There are several full forms out there depending on the language.

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As for Leo, it can stand alone. It's a complete name in and of itself and is an element of Leonard / Leonardo ("lion" + "brave, hardy" = "brave lion") and maybe even Leonidas. I know the "Leon" part means lion, but I'm not sure about the rest of the name. The point I'm attempting to make this early in the AM is that yes, Leo is a complete name. BTW, if I had a son today, he'd be Leo (Gabriel). :-)

This message was edited 3/18/2015, 5:19 AM

I think Leo is a name in its own right, anyway. Like the constellation?

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Kate is often used as a stand alone name, but personally I prefer it as a nickname for Catherine.

Kate is iffy to me. It's a nickname name and typically those don't belong on their own but it sounds nice and doesn't look incomplete.

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Leo absolutely stands on his own. It's a separate name from Leonard(o) and other Leo- names.

Kate, no. I loathe nicknames used as full names. Katherine nn Kate, please.

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Leo, yes, it can stand alone. It is a name in its own right and doesn't have to be a nickname for anything. Although personally I prefer it as a nickname for Leonidas.

Yes, but I don't think Katie can.

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Leo can, but Leonardo or Leonard would just sound more complete.

Yes & Yes

Yes, but Kate as a full name is not as respectable as being Katherine nn Kate. Leo is another matter, as I believe Leo and Leonard(o) to be separate names.

This message was edited 3/17/2015, 6:45 PM