Nellie
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Brightness; Shining Light
Background: The name Nellie originates as a diminutive of Helen, which is derived from the Greek word 'helene,' meaning 'torch' or 'corposant.' In Latin, it is often associated with the meaning 'shining light' or 'brightness.'
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#261
Total births
152,715
Most popular decade
1910s
(92,904 births)
10-year trend
↑ Rising (+781 ranks)
Years in Top 100
46
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
0.4% male
99.6% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 6
- First year rank
- #809
- Peak year
- 1924
- Peak year births
- 19
- Peak rank
- #1,839
- Most recent year
- 1947
- Recent year births
- 6
- Recent rank
- #3,372
Female
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 995
- First year rank
- #18
- Peak year
- 1918
- Peak year births
- 4,048
- Peak rank
- #65
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 591
- Recent rank
- #520
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).