Danny

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine first name that is a familiar or informal short form of Daniel
2. A male given name commonly used as a nickname for someone whose full name is Daniel
3. An informal diminutive of the male name Daniel, often given to a boy or man

Etymology: "Danny" is a pet form of the name Daniel, built by adding the diminutive ending "-y" to "Dan," itself a short form of Daniel. The name Daniel comes from the Hebrew "Dani'el," which combines "dan," meaning "judge," with "el," meaning "God," so the full name means something like "God is my judge." The "-y" ending is one of English's most common ways of making affectionate or familiar nicknames, and it turns up in many other male and female names, such as "Johnny," "Billy," and "Sally." The word "Danny" therefore follows a familiar pattern: a full name is clipped to a short form, and then the diminutive suffix is added to give it a warmer, more intimate tone.