Find out how popular the first name Nelly has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Nelly by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Nelly is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 99% of people named Nelly being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 142 female babies and 5 male babies born with the name Nelly.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby boys were named Nelly in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Nelly

The name Nelly has its origins in the Greek language, derived from the name Cornelia, which itself comes from the Latin word "cornu" meaning "horn." The name Cornelia was popular among ancient Roman families and was borne by several notable women in Roman history.

In the Middle Ages, the name Cornelia evolved into various diminutive forms such as Nella, Nellie, and Nelly. These forms became particularly popular in England and other parts of Western Europe during the Renaissance period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nelly can be found in the works of English poet and playwright William Shakespeare. In his play "The Merry Wives of Windsor," written around 1602, a character named Nelly is mentioned.

Nelly became a common name for women in England during the 17th and 18th centuries. A notable bearer of the name was Nelly Gwyn (1650-1687), a famous English actress and mistress of King Charles II.

In the 19th century, the name Nelly gained popularity in several European countries, including France and Germany. One of the most famous Nellys of this era was Nelly Sachs (1891-1970), a German-Swedish poet and playwright who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966.

Another notable Nelly was Nelly Bly (1864-1922), an American journalist and pioneer in her field, known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, inspired by the novel "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne.

In the 20th century, the name Nelly continued to be used, though its popularity waned in some regions. One of the most famous Nellys of this time was Nelly Furtado (born 1978), a Canadian singer and songwriter who achieved global success with her album "Whoa, Nelly!" in 2000.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Nelly was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Nelly, please contact us.

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