Nelly
A nickname that attached itself to Helen, Ellen, and Eleanor, probably through the medieval habit of adding an initial n to a pet form, as in mine Ellen.
Nelly in 2025
Nelly was given to 182 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 2,354th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 18,216 babies born.
The history of Nelly
Nelly reached its highest point in 2007, when 213 babies were given the name, ranking 2,105th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 1,221st, in 1882.
Across the 144 years of records since 1882, 7,871 babies have been named Nelly. Half of them were born before 1999, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Nelly by decade
| Decade | Babies named Nelly | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 50 | 1,221 |
| 1890s | 30 | 1,754 |
| 1900s | 62 | 1,858 |
| 1910s | 130 | 2,914 |
| 1920s | 210 | 2,805 |
| 1930s | 162 | 2,802 |
| 1940s | 160 | 2,984 |
| 1950s | 384 | 2,256 |
| 1960s | 428 | 2,280 |
| 1970s | 634 | 2,211 |
| 1980s | 770 | 2,342 |
| 1990s | 973 | 2,241 |
| 2000s | 1,627 | 2,105 |
| 2010s | 1,354 | 2,489 |
| 2020s | 897 | 2,354 |
Where Nelly is heading
Nelly has risen 42% over the past decade, from 128 babies in 2015 to 182 in 2025.
Names like Nelly
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Nelly.