Eddie

Eddie is a short version of any name starting with "Ed," usually Edward, or, less often, Edmund. You could name a baby boy Eddie, but don't do it. Go ahead and write out the entire long E-d-w-a-r-d, or other "ed" name, and let him choose whether he'd prefer to be a casual Eddie, or a business-like professional Edward, or simply an Ed. Of course, enough parents, at least in the U.S., do name thier sons Eddie to keep it in the top 500 names for boys, and several decades have seen it crack the top 100. Its use as a first name in its own right has declined over past decades though, possibly in direct proportion to a general rise in literacy. Eddie is, however, a lovely name for a dog or cat, unless said pet plans to pursue a career as a lawyer or politician.