# Larry? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2000, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930 "2000-02-04T01:56:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/1 "2000-02-04T01:56:00Z")
What’s Larry short for? * * * I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/2 "2000-02-04T01:58:00Z")
Lawrence ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/3 "2000-02-04T02:00:00Z")
Larry’s short so he can borrow money from me, that’s what Larry’s short for. ---
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/4 "2000-02-04T02:03:00Z")
hahaha, no, really, DrF, what’s it short for? * * * I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/5 "2000-02-04T02:36:00Z")
Oh, I’m sorry. It’s short so that it takes less time to write on standard forms. This time savings can translate to manny man-years in secretarial time, amounting to real dollar savings to American businesses every fiscal quarter. ---
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/6 "2000-02-04T02:40:00Z")
Hey! That actually makes sense! Thanks! * * * I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/7 "2000-02-04T07:19:00Z")
My head hurts… * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/8 "2000-02-04T12:37:00Z")
My father is Larry, except to the IRS and my occasionally perturbed mother, then he is Lawrence. My name is Paul, occasionally when I was younger and more perturbing, I was Paul Lawrence. Now occasionally I’m Pauly, but I’ve never been Paul Larry or Pauly Larry. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/9 "2000-02-04T15:38:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Now occasionally I’m Pauly YIKES! Are you sure you want to admit that? * * * Plunging like stones from a slingshot on Mars. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/10 "2000-02-04T16:18:00Z")
Larold * * * Have you voted for your favorite, huggable Mullinator today? ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/11 "2000-02-05T02:07:00Z")
Also spelled Laurence. My name’s a feminine version. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/12 "2000-02-05T15:06:00Z")
Okay, we know what Larry is short for, and what Harry is short for… But what about Barry? Or Garry? The world needs to know! * * * **-PIGEONMAN-** Returns! [The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - **By Popular Demand!** Enjoy, enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/13 "2000-02-05T15:12:00Z")
Barry = Batholomew Garry = Garrison or Garrett ---
**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/14 "2000-02-05T15:13:00Z")
correction: Barry = Bartholomew ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/15 "2000-02-06T02:43:00Z")
That’s interesting, because all the Barry’s and Gary’s I’ve known were named Barry or Gary. I didn’t think they were short for anything. * * * **-PIGEONMAN-** Returns! [The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - **By Popular Demand!** Enjoy, enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/16 "2000-02-06T05:35:00Z")
Harry is, of course, short for Harold. And before anyone asks… Perry=Percival Terry=Terrence Jerry=Gerold Ferry=Homosexual Anything else? ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/17 "2000-02-06T10:54:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Ursa Major: > \*\*correction: Barry = Bartholomew \*\* So if you’re Bartolomew how do you choose between Bart and Barry ? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/18 "2000-02-06T11:37:00Z")
The same way you choose between Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robbie, Robert, or whatever. And Jerry is short for Jeremy more often than Gerald. * * * **-PIGEONMAN-** Returns! [The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - **By Popular Demand!** Enjoy, enjoy! ---
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/19 "2000-02-06T22:11:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Jerry=Gerold My uncle is a Jerry. His birth name is Jerome. * * * “If anybody wants a sheep, that is proof that he exists.” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930/20 "2000-02-07T06:01:00Z")
I thought Harry was short for Henry. * * * and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/larry/6930.md?page=2)