Nellie

Meaning

Nellie is generally a familiar form of Ellen, and sometimes of Helen. In the excerpted 19th-century source, Helen is linked with meanings such as “a lamp” or “a torch,” and another proposed Celtic explanation is mentioned, though not confirmed. In practice, Nellie has long functioned as a baptismal pet form rather than an independent original name.

Origin

Fun fact

The source notes that Nellie and Nelly were used as baptismal names, not just nicknames.