Girl
Nellie
bright, shining one
About Nellie
Nellie bursts with cheerful energy and down-to-earth charm. This spirited name brings to mind a friendly, approachable personality with an infectious smile. Nellie has that rare quality of feeling both vintage and fresh simultaneously. The double-L gives it a playful bounce when spoken aloud, while maintaining a sweetness that never feels overly saccharine. Many parents love how Nellie stands confidently on its own rather than merely serving as a nickname. It's the kind of name that makes people smile instinctively, evoking warmth and genuine kindness. Nellie suits an adventurous girl who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, yet can dress up beautifully for special occasions.
Popularity of the Name Nellie
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #18 | ||||
| 1881 | #14 | ||||
| 1882 | #19 | ||||
| 1883 | #17 | ||||
| 1884 | #17 | ||||
| 1885 | #16 | ||||
| 1886 | #17 | ||||
| 1887 | #19 | ||||
| 1888 | #21 | ||||
| 1889 | #19 | ||||
| 1890 | #20 | ||||
| 1891 | #25 | ||||
| 1892 | #30 | ||||
| 1893 | #27 | ||||
| 1894 | #30 | ||||
| 1895 | #30 | ||||
| 1896 | #34 | ||||
| 1897 | #37 | ||||
| 1898 | #36 | ||||
| 1899 | #41 | ||||
| 1900 | #43 | #46 | |||
| 1901 | #41 | #72 | |||
| 1902 | #41 | #61 | |||
| 1903 | #45 | #56 | |||
| 1904 | #44 | #57 | |||
| 1905 | #48 | #50 | |||
| 1906 | #49 | #53 | |||
| 1907 | #50 | #70 | |||
| 1908 | #49 | #55 | |||
| 1909 | #51 | #56 | |||
| 1910 | #51 | #58 | |||
| 1911 | #54 | #70 | |||
| 1912 | #59 | #60 | |||
| 1913 | #58 | #56 | |||
| 1914 | #61 | #68 | |||
| 1915 | #63 | #81 | |||
| 1916 | #61 | #71 | |||
| 1917 | #64 | #73 | |||
| 1918 | #65 | #77 | |||
| 1919 | #69 | #97 | |||
| 1920 | #76 | #91 | |||
| 1921 | #80 | #105 | |||
| 1922 | #83 | #103 | |||
| 1923 | #88 | #124 | |||
| 1924 | #92 | #113 | |||
| 1925 | #98 | #128 | |||
| 1926 | #102 | #147 | |||
| 1927 | #105 | #125 | |||
| 1928 | #111 | #158 | |||
| 1929 | #113 | #191 | |||
| 1930 | #113 | #129 | |||
| 1931 | #119 | ||||
| 1932 | #123 | #156 | |||
| 1933 | #120 | #158 | |||
| 1934 | #126 | #194 | |||
| 1935 | #131 | #175 | |||
| 1936 | #135 | #162 | |||
| 1937 | #140 | #203 | |||
| 1938 | #152 | ||||
| 1939 | #157 | ||||
| 1940 | #161 | #244 | |||
| 1941 | #167 | ||||
| 1942 | #183 | ||||
| 1943 | #197 | ||||
| 1944 | #199 | ||||
| 1945 | #210 | ||||
| 1946 | #240 | ||||
| 1947 | #250 | ||||
| 1948 | #250 | #250 | |||
| 1949 | #281 | ||||
| 1950 | #283 | ||||
| 1951 | #322 | ||||
| 1952 | #321 | #280 | |||
| 1953 | #336 | ||||
| 1954 | #371 | ||||
| 1955 | #385 | ||||
| 1956 | #409 | ||||
| 1957 | #456 | ||||
| 1958 | #489 | ||||
| 1959 | #500 | ||||
| 1960 | #507 | ||||
| 1961 | #537 | ||||
| 1962 | #615 | ||||
| 1963 | #630 | ||||
| 1964 | #627 | #360 | |||
| 1965 | #691 | ||||
| 1966 | #665 | ||||
| 1967 | #697 | ||||
| 1968 | #781 | ||||
| 1969 | #859 | ||||
| 1970 | #852 | ||||
| 1971 | #839 | ||||
| 1972 | #859 | ||||
| 1973 | #910 | ||||
| 1974 | #846 | ||||
| 1975 | #883 | ||||
| 1976 | #974 | ||||
| 1978 | #974 | ||||
| 1979 | #953 | ||||
| 2019 | #864 | #125 | #536 | ||
| 2020 | #842 | #140 | #375 | #349 | #520 |
| 2021 | #743 | #109 | #359 | #490 | #444 |
| 2022 | #663 | #110 | #375 | #300 | #501 |
| 2023 | #615 | #105 | #391 | #349 | #474 |
| 2024 | #521 | #103 | #245 | #468 | |
| 2025 | #533 | #112 | #379 | #321 | #398 |
| 2010 | #903 | #734 | |||
| 2012 | #823 | #876 | |||
| 2013 | #879 | #793 | |||
| 2014 | #686 | #402 | #764 | ||
| 2015 | #320 | #433 | #834 | ||
| 2016 | #327 | #994 | #755 | ||
| 2017 | #250 | #832 | #606 | ||
| 2018 | #194 | #787 | |||
| 2002 | #388 | #970 | |||
| 2003 | #947 | ||||
| 2004 | #881 | ||||
| 2007 | #975 | ||||
| 2008 | #812 | ||||
| 2009 | #898 | ||||
| 2011 | #827 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Nellie
Names Similar to Nellie
Nicknames for Nellie
- Nell
- Nel
- Nelly
- Elle
- Ellie
Famous People Named Nellie
| Nellie Bly | American journalist and pioneer of investigative journalism |
| Nellie McClung | Canadian feminist, politician, and social activist |
| Nellie Melba | Australian opera singer |
| Nellie Tayloe Ross | First female Governor of Wyoming, USA |
| Nellie Ohr | American researcher and expert in Russian affairs |
| Nellie Fox | American baseball player and Hall of Famer |
| Nellie Lutcher | American jazz and blues singer |
| Nellie Kim | Soviet gymnast and Olympic champion |
| Nellie McKay | American singer-songwriter and actress |
| Nellie Cashman | Irish-born prospector and philanthropist in America |
| Nellie Forbush | American nurse and protagonist in the musical "South Pacific" |
| Nellie Dean | English suffragette and activist |
| Nellie Nugent | Irish poet and writer |
| Nellie Wong | Chinese-American poet and feminist |
| Nellie Farren | English actress and singer |
| Nellie Grant | Daughter of Ulysses S. Grant, former US President |
| Nellie Andreeva | Entertainment journalist and TV critic |
Characters Named Nellie
| Nellie Lovett | Character from the musical "Sweeney Todd" |
| Nellie Oleson | Character from the TV series "Little House on the Prairie" |