🔥Nellie

Diminutive of Helen, Ellen, and Eleanor, English, Swedish
"light, shining torch"

Nellie Origin and Meaning

The name Nellie is a girl's name meaning "light, shining torch".

This sweet nickname name has seen a recent revival in the US, breaking the Top 1000 in 2019 for the first time in 40 years. By 2023, Nellie became one of the fastest rising girl names, chasing sister name Eleanor up the charts. Nellie is an elaboration of Nell, a medieval diminutive of names starting with El, such as Eleanor and Ellen. It may have arisen from the affectionate phrase "mine El" which was later reinterpreted as "my Nel".

Nellie is an international choice, too, well-used throughout Europe. She is one of the top girl names in Sweden and as of 2023, Nellie is in the UK Top 100.

# 611 in the US

Nellie Rank in US Top 1000

# 356 on Nameberry

Nellie Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Nellie Popularity

Famous People Named Nellie

  • Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell)
    Australian operatic soprano
  • Nellie Bly
    pen name of American journalist Elizabeth Jane Cochrane
  • Nellie Vladimirovna Kim
    Tajik Soviet Olympic gymnast
  • Nellie Letitia McClung
    Canadian feminist, author and politician
  • Nellie Farren
    English actress and singer
  • Nell Marie "Nellie" McKay
    American singer,songwriter and actress
  • Nellie Tayloe Ross
    first woman governor (Wyoming) in the U.S.
  • Eleanor Towzey "Nellie" Stewart
    Australian actress and singer

Nellie in Pop Culture

  • Nellie Forbush
    character in musical "South Pacific"
  • Nellie O'Malley
    character in the American Girl series
  • Nellie Oleson
    character on TV's "Little House on the Prairie"
  • Nellie
    character in movie "Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure"
  • Nellie Turner
    character in "This Golden Land" by Barbara Wood
  • Nellie Ellis
    character on British soap "EastEnders"
  • Eleanour Donna "Nellie" Bertram
    character on TV's "The Office"
  • Nellie Pledge
    character in the Granada Television series "Nearest and Dearest"
  • Nellie Brie
    character in animated movie "An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster"
  • "Nellie the Elephant
    " 1956 song by Mandy Miller and animated TV series
  • Nellie Boswell
    character on TV's "Bread"
  • "Nellie
    " boat in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"
  • Nellie's Southern Kitchen
    Kevin Jonas Sr. restaurant in Belmont, NC
  • "Whoa
    Nellie," a phrase
  • Nellie
    Nick Nelson's dog on Netflix' Heartstopper