Nell is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Nell means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Nell across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Nell has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Nell is a girl name of Greek origin meaning “torch, light”. A medieval pet form of Eleanor, Ellen, or Helen.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 27,710 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 3,023 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 147 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 34 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 451 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Nell per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1917 (766/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2022 (173/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2024 (42/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2024 (16/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2023 (6/yr).
Nell has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1917, when it ranked #393 nationally (given to 766 babies that year).
Nellie · Neil · Nayeli · Noelle · Neal · Nyla · Noel · Nelle
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