Nelly Name Meaning, Origin & Gender

Nelly Name at a Glance

Name	Nelly
Meaning	Diminutive of Ellen or Eleanor: A variant of the Greek Helen, meaning shining light, or most beautiful woman.
Origin	English
Gender	Girl

What Does the Name Nelly Mean?

According to the information recorded in our baby name database, Nelly means “Diminutive of Ellen or Eleanor: A variant of the Greek Helen, meaning shining light, or most beautiful woman”. Name meanings can vary between languages, regions and naming traditions, so families may also wish to confirm a meaning within the cultural or linguistic context that matters to them.

Nelly Name Origin

Our database records Nelly under English origin. Browse more English baby names to compare other names in the same origin collection.

Is Nelly a Boy or Girl Name?

In our database, Nelly is listed as a girl name. Usage can differ across countries, languages and families.

Choosing the Name Nelly

When considering Nelly for a baby, you may want to compare its recorded meaning and origin with family traditions, pronunciation, spelling, initials, middle names and how the full name sounds with the family name.