General thoughts on Leonie?

I’ve loved the name [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] for a long time now. I think it’s spunky, feminine but strong, and uncommon without being too out there. It’s also short enough that it should be able to get away without a nickname, though there are possibilities if she should want one.

Of course, all of these are just my own thoughts, and they could be completely different from someone else’s opinion. I want to get a general idea of how other people feel the name. Does it seem unusual? What kind of girl would you picture for the name [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]?

Any and all thoughts are appreciated :slight_smile:

I like [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] when it’s pronounced the [name_m]French[/name_m] way - [name_m]LAY[/name_m]-uhn-ee, however, sorry, in English it feels a bit dowdy to me. [name_m]Ive[/name_m] known a lot of [name_f]Leonie[/name_f]'s who would now be in their 50s, and feels to me the same generation as [name_f]Christine[/name_f] and [name_f]Loraine[/name_f], not ready to be revived yet.

[name_u]Love[/name_u] it, love it, love it! I don’t know how you pronounce it, but I pronounce it like leh-oh-nee. I think it can age well, has a great meaning and is just overall a great, underused name.

I have only met two Leonies; one is about seven now and the other is a two year old at work. They both wear it very well and it has always seemed like a sweet name to me.

[name_f]LeOnie[/name_f] H is actually seventy and Le0nie P. is thirty plus. So it seems to have been used down the ages without overuse. Both women detested and banned [name_u]Lee[/name_u] for a short name but both liked their names, so it’s a good recommendation for a resurgence. I am not sure if [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] had a particular period of popularity. [name_f]Leona[/name_f] is also popping up. I am embarrassed to admit the second [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] was my very best friend during my first three working years. I have taken her lovely name for granted until you brought it out for some love and attention.

I prefer [name_f]Leonora[/name_f] but I’m biased. I also Like [name_f]Leontine[/name_f]. I far prefer [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] to [name_f]Leona[/name_f]. I have never met a [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] but I have met a [name_f]Cleonie[/name_f] which confuses things a bit!
For what its worth [name_m]Leo[/name_m] is a fun spunky nn for a girl and most the [name_m]Leo[/name_m] names have good strong feeling about them. [name_m]Even[/name_m] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] as a nn has a midcentury retro feel, think of the photographer [name_u]Lee[/name_u] [name_m]Miller[/name_m].

I love it when pronounced [name_m]LAY[/name_m]-oh-nee. I like the lion meaning which I think is great for a little girl, but it is also pretty and wearable for an adult.

[name_f]Leonie[/name_f] feels friendly and approachable to me. It feels unusual but familiar, as in, I’ve never known/met a [name_f]Leonie[/name_f], but I’ve heard it enough and it has similar sounds to more popular names that it doesn’t sound foreign or strange to the ear. I like how you said it’s short enough to not need a nickname but there are lots of options- I’m not a nicknamer myself but that’s a sweet spot to be in! If you were to use one, [name_f]Leni[/name_f], [name_f]Lili[/name_f] or [name_m]Leo[/name_m] would be cute.

I think [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] is beautiful, and your combo [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] [name_f]Viveca[/name_f] is fantastic! So spunky and zesty.

[name_f]Leonie[/name_f] has been much more popular in Australia than elsewhere in the English-speaking world I think so that could explain why some posters find it a bit tired and dated (feel free to correct me, guys!) Where I am in the UK, [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] has never been well-used and feels so sweet, fresh and lively to me. I love the fierceness of the “lion” image in combination with the sweet sound of the name with its -ie ending. I’d definitely call her [name_m]Leo[/name_m] for short - it’s an awesome nn for a little girl!

I love the name [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] <3 It doesn’t seem very unusual to me; it’s reminiscent of Emily, Amelie, Liam, and Leo. I also prefer it with the French pronunciation of leh-oh-NEE, which offers the nicknames Leni (like Lanie) or Leo. I picture a caring and confident little girl who isn’t afraid of being herself.

I think it’s a great name for a lot of people. I also think it depends a lot on how you feel about others pronouncing it differently than you might.

I’ve decided I couldn’t personally name anyone [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] because hearing people use say it differently (even if they think they are saying it the same as me) would drive me up the wall. I’d be grumbling in my head:

“It’s LEH-uh-nee! Not [name_u]Lane[/name_u]-E! Not [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-OH-nee! Not [name_u]Lee[/name_u]-nee!”

I do understand that other people might not even hear the difference. But I think I would. I’d be [name_f]Hermione[/name_f] explaining Wingarium Leviosa. “Not levi-oh-SAH!”

I’d absolutely use it for a story character though. [name_m]Reading[/name_m] the name is perfect :slight_smile:

PS: LEH-uh-nee is just my interpretation of how it’d be pronounced if I was the name giver. If someone introduced themselves to me as pronouncing it [name_m]Lay[/name_m]-nee I’d absolutely say it that way with no problem or internal grumbling!

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, I’ve never, for whatever reason, been real into first names that are long / would very likely have a nickname. I don’t totally despise nicknames but I just see myself calling my kids by their given name most of the time, so I want something that’s usually going to be fine in its full form.

When I was researching it a while ago, it only really seems to have had major popularity in Australia and I believe… Germany IIRC. I’m in the US and here it’s not even in the top 1,000 of names. I’ve certainly never met a [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] in the flesh. But I do value the fact that people’s perspective depends on their environment, so, all opinions are good to hear.

[name_f]Leonie[/name_f] has a lot of life and ferocity to me as well; I love the name meaning. Though I’m not much of a nicknamer, I’d probably call her by [name_m]Leo[/name_m] or [name_f]Leni[/name_f] as short forms.

Thank you for the imagery! That’s pretty much what I’d also thought of so it’s awesome to have someone else see it the same way :slight_smile:

I’d be pronouncing it Lee-OH-nee, but I’m aware it’s a name that is highly likely to get a lot of different pronunciations. Which is fine for me at least. People always mistake my name for something else, and it’s often misspelled by others, too. So I’ve gotten to the point where that stuff slides right off my shoulders.

I love it. It reminds me of [name_f]Tea[/name_f] [name_u]Leoni[/name_u], the actress in Madam Secretary, which is a great association. It’s reminiscent of the gorgeous [name_f]Leona[/name_f]/[name_m]Leo[/name_m]/[name_f]Lia[/name_f]/[name_f]Liana[/name_f] family of names with a modern, spunky vibe. I personally like [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] as a nickname for [name_f]Leona[/name_f], but I think [name_f]Leonie[/name_f] itself makes a great choice!

I can see it on pretty much anyone, really, it feels versatile. Not too unusual but not too familiar, either.

I love it! It’s unique without being weird. I say lee oh nee.

Thanks for the feedback! :slight_smile: [name_f]Tea[/name_f] [name_u]Leoni[/name_u] is a nice connection indeed.

Thanks! That’s the balance I was hoping for, and I’m glad to see someone pronouncing it like I intend to. I was starting to wonder if mine was a totally odd way, haha.