Dev

Dev is a Sanskrit-derived name connected with deva, meaning a god or deity. Its short form carries a religious and linguistic history that is different from English names beginning with Dev. A Dev used as a shortening of an unrelated longer name would therefore need a different explanation.

Actor Dev Patel gives the complete name a familiar public example, while Dev is also a character name in Master of None. Those modern references do not establish the name's original meaning. With three letters and one syllable in common English use, Dev can remain the full everyday name. Its brevity does not mean it must be expanded on official documents.