[name_u]Elliott[/name_u] is probably my number one boys name right now, but I struggle with coming up with nicknames. Obviously I wouldn’t want to call my son [name_f]Ellie[/name_f], and my cousin has already used [name_m]Eli[/name_m]. I love the name [name_m]Leo[/name_m] but I don’t think it really goes with the rest of my favorites (I tend to like longer names) so I thought [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] nn [name_m]Leo[/name_m] would be a good compromise. But is it too much of a stretch? I don’t want it to sound like I’m trying too hard. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you have any other nn ideas that I haven’t mentioned?
Otter? [name_m]Otto[/name_m]? I’m having trouble coming up with any else, there is [name_f]Lottie[/name_f] but like [name_f]Ellie[/name_f] is sounds more like a nn for a girl.
You could always use intials, E.J or E.D and call him [name_m]Ed[/name_m].
Thanks mauvebird!
I love [name_u]Elliot/name_u nn [name_m]Leo[/name_m]! I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch at all; the sound of [name_m]Leo[/name_m] is essentially right in there. I think [name_m]Eli[/name_m] is more of a stretch than [name_m]Leo[/name_m] is. 
I like [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] nn [name_m]Otto[/name_m], too.
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch though if I’d spell it out I’d go with [name_m]Lio[/name_m].
When looking for a nickname for [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] myself, I thought of Otter / Otti since [name_m]Leo[/name_m]/[name_m]Lio[/name_m] just doesn’t do it for me in [name_m]German[/name_m].
Definitely not a stretch in my opinion. I have [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] nn [name_m]Lio[/name_m] ([name_m]Leo[/name_m]) on my list. Maybe you could use the middle name to create a nn.
I don’t think [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] nn [name_m]Leo[/name_m] works well. I’m sorry, but I think it will need a lot of explanations.
I’d pick:
[name_m]Liam[/name_m]
[name_u]Lionel[/name_u]
[name_m]Leon[/name_m]
@ashthedreamer: Thanks! The sounds are definitely there. I like [name_u]Elliott[/name_u] nn [name_m]Otto[/name_m] as well!
@opheliaflora: Thanks! I do like the idea of spelling it [name_m]Lio[/name_m] instead of [name_m]Leo[/name_m].
@myosotis: Thank you! I think the [name_m]Lio[/name_m] spelling makes more sense with [name_u]Elliott[/name_u]. I love that!
@starrynightsparks: I’m not sure how [name_m]Liam[/name_m] makes more sense than [name_m]Leo[/name_m]. [name_m]Leo[/name_m], or [name_m]Lio[/name_m], is basically said in the name - [name_f]El[/name_f] - lio - tt.
The name isn’t said [name_f]El[/name_f] - [name_m]Leo[/name_m] - [name_m]Ott[/name_m]. It is a big stretch.
I think it would make the most sense to use the name you love best, and if you have 2 boys, you get to use both.
Also, the pp was probably saying that [name_m]Leo[/name_m] works better as a nickname for [name_m]Liam[/name_m], [name_u]Lionel[/name_u], or [name_m]Leon[/name_m].
[name_m]Way[/name_m] too big a stretch. As the previous poster said, the leo sound isn’t even in the name. [name_u]Lee[/name_u] could probably work though.
I vote yes! I’m biased - I had exactly the same issue! I love [name_m]Leo[/name_m], but I wanted a longer name, and couldn’t handle [name_m]Leonard[/name_m]. [name_u]Elliot[/name_u] was almost at the top of our list, but I also couldn’t really figure out a nickname (I agree with a previous poster that [name_m]Eli[/name_m] seems like a stretch, although I do like it) so ultimately we went with a different name. [name_f]Mary[/name_f]/[name_f]Molly[/name_f], [name_f]Margaret[/name_f]/[name_f]Peggy[/name_f], and [name_f]Sarah[/name_f]/[name_f]Sally[/name_f] are all old-fashioned name/nickname pairs originally, not to mention [name_m]Robert[/name_m]/[name_m]Bob[/name_m], [name_m]William[/name_m]/[name_m]Bill[/name_m], [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]/[name_f]Betty[/name_f]/[name_f]Betsy[/name_f], etc. It used to be a lot more common to have nicknames be a bit further from the real name, so I’d say go with it!
(…again it’s basically two-for-one for two of my favorite names so, you know, bias.)
I think it would work.
It’s not intuitive, but I don’t really agree with those saying it’s too much of a stretch. The “[name_u]Lee[/name_u]” sound is in both, and the O is there. I mean, [name_m]Leo[/name_m] is a standard nickname for [name_m]Leonard[/name_m] and the “[name_m]Leo[/name_m]” sound isn’t in there at all, just the letters. There are plenty of examples of nicknames sharing sounds but not spelling/spelling but not sound with the full name they’re used for. [name_f]Catherine[/name_f] to [name_f]Kate[/name_f], [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] to [name_m]Jake[/name_m], [name_f]Margaret[/name_f] to [name_f]Maggie[/name_f], [name_u]James[/name_u] to [name_m]Jim[/name_m], etc. I think it’s unexpected, but I think it can work.