Does it work? And secondly, does it make [name]Bailey[/name] more accessible on a boy?
I absolutely love just [name]Bailey[/name], but I love the idea of having a nn in general, and I think it would help if he met some real obstacles with [name]Bailey[/name] (although most boy Baileys I’ve come across seem to have no problems at all, so I don’t know how much of a concern it is, really). I sort of like [name]Bailey[/name] nn [name]Bay[/name], too, but I think [name]Bay[/name] is just as gender-ambiguous as [name]Bailey[/name] is.
I think [name]Leo[/name] would be fine as a NN at home, but unless he were to make a lot of effort to keep it going in his school life, it’d probably remain just a family NN since it’s not an intuitive NN from [name]Bailey[/name].
I also personally wouldn’t use [name]Bailey[/name] on a boy. For one, it’s a top 100 most common girls name now. It has a history of being masculine, but sounds so similar to the [name]Hailey[/name]'s and [name]Kaylee[/name]'s out there, and has caught on as one of those super trendy girls names.
I think it’s a bit of a stretch. If you want to use [name]Bailey[/name], then use [name]Bailey[/name]. My son’s name is [name]Bailey[/name] and he is nearly 11. We haven’t ever had issues with his name and in fact, only know other male Baileys. [name]Bailey[/name] on a girl sounds funny to me now.
Yes, it’s a bit of a stretch, but doable. I’d say especially doable if middle name begins with an O.
[name]Bailey[/name] [name]Oliver[/name]
[name]Bailey[/name] [name]Oisin[/name] (“o-[name]SHEEN[/name]”)
[name]Bailey[/name] [name]Owen[/name]
[name]Bailey[/name] [name]Otis[/name]
[name]Bailey[/name] [name]Oscar[/name]
lol! I was just going to post that I was seriously considering changing my combo to [name]Bailey[/name] [name]Oscar[/name]. I love the namesakes of [name]Oskar[/name] Schindler and [name]Oscar[/name] Wilde, and I’ve loved [name]Oscar[/name] for forever, but not enough to use it as a FN. I’ve loved the combo [name]Bailey[/name] [name]Oscar[/name] since I’ve loved [name]Bailey[/name], but I had gone with [name]Bailey[/name] [name]Elias[/name] [name]Charles[/name] instead. But [name]Elias[/name] is elsewhere on my list (not to mention [name]Elliot[/name] and possibly even [name]Elijah[/name]!), as is [name]Charles[/name], so I thought switching it up might be in order. I do really adore [name]Bailey[/name] [name]Oscar[/name], and I think it would make others more comfortable with the nn [name]Leo[/name]. But honestly, my little sister is [name]Natalie[/name] nn [name]Lea[/name] (sometimes–she goes by [name]Tallie[/name]/[name]Natalie[/name] more than [name]Lea[/name] anymore, but she used to go by it almost exclusively), and my uncle’s brother is [name]Ashley[/name] nn [name]Lee[/name]. So I don’t see the huge stretch from those to [name]Bailey[/name] nn [name]Leo[/name]. If a [name]Charlotte[/name], [name]Penelope[/name], or [name]Elodie[/name] can go by [name]Lola[/name], I certainly think a [name]Bailey[/name] can go by [name]Leo[/name]. And as far as school goes, when he gets to that point, he can decide whether he wants to be [name]Bailey[/name] or [name]Leo[/name]. Or [name]Oscar[/name], even.
I think [name]Lee[/name] would be more close and doable. [name]Leo[/name] isn’t as intuitive and at school it won’t likely happen unless you make the effort to tell the teacher his nickname is [name]Leo[/name] or he speaks up about it.
Yes it’s workable,but it’s also slightly stretchy since [name]Leo[/name]'s such a substantial, popular first name.
But if [name]Charlotte[/name] can be nicknamed [name]Lottie[/name], then that theory applied to [name]Bailey[/name] nn [name]Leo[/name] is completely valid. I’ve done it myself with [name]Henry[/name] (nn [name]Rio[/name]).
Honestly I think it’s a major stretch BUT lots of people have nicknames that sound nothing like their names or have such tenuous links that it’s hard to see the connection so I think you can nickname him anything you like in reality!
As for the school thing, honestly, I don’t foresee it being a problem at all. Whether I move by the time I have children or not, my children will likely (and by likely, I mean, mountains will have to move for this not to happen) go to a very small [name]Christian[/name] school run by my denomination, and my children will likely grow up in church with their future teachers and classmates. And if they end up going to the school I went to, their teachers will be family friends. It will not be an issue at all getting them to call him [name]Leo[/name] 99% of the time if that’s what he wants (it also pretty much ensures that him going by [name]Bailey[/name] won’t be a problem either). And if my children don’t go to a denominational school, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.
My goal honestly isn’t to find a nn to make it a “man’s name” and I’m not insecure/worried about [name]Bailey[/name] sounding to effeminate. I know [name]Bailey[/name]. I know his ins and outs and how he ticks. I love [name]Bailey[/name] for what it is. I wish it were less popular for girls, but I’ve spent years looking at the state and national popularity, meeting families with Baileys, I know [name]Bailey[/name]. I’ve been following his status for years. I don’t feel like I need to add to it or take it away, [name]Bailey[/name]'s amazing in and of itself. I just love the idea of [name]Leo[/name] as a nn for it, just like I love the idea of [name]Cal[/name] as a nn for [name]Caleb[/name], or [name]Ash[/name] for [name]Asher[/name], or [name]Gray[/name] for [name]Grayson[/name], or [name]Charlie[/name] for [name]Charles[/name]. As an added bonus, it’s a back-up option if [name]Bailey[/name] just doesn’t work for him, at all. I don’t know if I’ll use it, once I actually have a [name]Bailey[/name] (if I actually have a [name]Bailey[/name]!), but it’s nice to know I have the option.
And as far as school goes, when he gets to that point, he can decide whether he wants to be [name]Bailey[/name] or [name]Leo[/name]. 