Nell

At a Glance: Name: Nell – Meaning: pet form of Eleanor, Helen or Ellen (Greek/Old French, 'shining light' is a common gloss for Helen) – Origin: English – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: NEL

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Nell is an English name, pronounced NEL, and it began as a pet form of Eleanor, Helen or Ellen. Helen comes from Greek, and 'shining light' is a common gloss for it. It's one short syllable, so it's easy to say and spell.

Meaning & Origin of Nell

Meaning: Pet form of Eleanor, Helen or Ellen (Greek/Old French, 'shining light' is a common gloss for Helen).

Origin: English.

How to Pronounce Nell

Phonetic: NEL   IPA: /nɛl/

Popularity of Nell

Nell ranked #144 in 1886, when 175 babies were given the name. By 2024 it stood at #1460, with 150 babies named Nell that year.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Nell Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Nell, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Violetta
• Anton
• Louella
• Linus
• Luther
• Orson

FAQ

What does the name Nell mean?

Pet form of Eleanor, Helen or Ellen (Greek/Old French, ‘shining light’ is a common gloss for Helen).

How do you pronounce Nell?

Nell is pronounced NEL (IPA: /nɛl/).

Is Nell a popular name right now?

Nell peaked at #144 in 1886 and is ranked #1460 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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