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Baby names

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Original poster

What is Nell a nickname for?

47 replies

AhsokaTano · 23/05/2012 09:07

We are having a boy I think but DH mentioned the other day that if it was a girl he'd like to put Helen on the list. It was the name of his dad's mother who died when FIL was a few months old.

I'm not a tremendous fan of the name, but could live with it if I could use a nickname like Nell. This whole discussion made me wonder what else Nell might be a nn for? So far I've got

Helen
Helena
Eleanor

Any other ideas?

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MrsCLRoff · 17/10/2018 19:19

Ellen. Although I have a friend whose name is Nellie but goes by Nell

newrubylane · 16/10/2018 13:25

I've always loved Penelope and planned to shorten it to Nell because I'm not that keen on Penny. Unfortunately our surname begins with P so it might end up being too much of a mouthful...

wildewillow · 13/10/2018 10:38

SERIOUSLY! This thread is 6 years old!!

Icklepup · 13/10/2018 10:17

Nele

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 13/10/2018 10:00

Penelope
Prunella

Sophronia · 13/10/2018 06:21

Anneliese/Annelise
Penelope

RedDwarves · 13/10/2018 05:44

I'm an Elizabeth. I don't think Nell is a shortening for Elizabeth... it's too contrived.

Nell is traditionally short for Helen.

MrsRachel85 · 13/10/2018 03:01

I used to know a Fenella who used Nell. I love the name

Pemba · 13/10/2018 01:59

It's traditionally short for either Eleanor/Elinor or Helen/a. Or Ellen I suppose - all related names. Never was short for Elizabeth as far as I know - that has plenty of it's own nicknames!

Then there's Penelope, which seems to make sense as the emphasis is on the NEL part.

Nella too - think it is a Dutch name.

Or you could have just Nell or Nellie - but I can't help mentally adding 'the elephant' to Nellie!

Mummyishome · 12/10/2018 23:39

Name Nell
Has anyone named their baby Nell?

janie2 · 26/05/2012 23:05

Helen is a beautiful, classic and timeless name! All the Helen's I know are strong clever people who are also very popular. I loved the name but it is my SIL name and DH vetoed it!!

One of my best friend's is Helen nn Nel, she loves her name!

alemci · 25/05/2012 16:41

I think it is Ellen. My sister has this as middle name and was given it in memory of my mum's Great Auntie, Nellie

ASByatt · 25/05/2012 16:24

My Grandma was an Ellen, nn Nell.

The only Nell near me is a Helen, although she is always always called Nell!

SodoffBaldrick · 24/05/2012 22:53

Oh, and I love Nell - I think it is really classy, elegant, understated, chic, etc, etc, but DH hates it; thinks it is way too old-lady. DD's nn is Lena (pn Lai-na).

Right, time for a name-change! Grin

SodoffBaldrick · 24/05/2012 22:50

Have been following this thread with interest.

At the risk of outing myself, my DD is Helena. Pronounced Hel-ai-na. She is named after my Mum who died 7 years before she was born. Her name was Helen. :) Lots of similarities. Likewise, I wanted to honour my lovely Mum, but somehow also found Helen a tiny bit dated or something, so we went with Helena.

And no, it's not pronounced Hel-len-a which would really make more sense since she's named after a Helen, but Hel-ai-na because a). that is the pronounciation we preferred and b). our surname is the same as a certain wild-haired Scottish comedian. When you run Hel-len-a with that surname it sounds weirdly repetitive (the sounds and the syllables) - the Hel-ai-na pronounciation makes it run together much more nicely.

I will say - there is only a 1-in-3 chance of people landing on the correct pronunciation (Hel-ai-na, Hel-len-a, Hel-lee-na), but most people mostly remember after the third first time. Wink

jeanjeannie · 24/05/2012 22:02

My aunt was Nell and it was short for Ellen - mind you she was born circa 1918!
Her sister was Betty and that was one of the nicknames for Elizabeth.

ladymuckbeth · 24/05/2012 21:55

I love the name Helena, particularly pronounced the way you describe (Hel-ai-na) - one of my oldest friends has that name pronounced that way and I think it's beautiful. I wouldn't be worried about the fact there are differing pronunciations - it's something that gets cleared up very quickly if there's ever any confusion.

fluffygal · 24/05/2012 21:51

My niece is called Nell, not short for anything. Her middle name is ELizabeth so hope it's not really a nickname for Elizabeth otherwise that would be weird!

comixminx · 24/05/2012 21:44

I don't think Nell is a nn for Elizabeth - certainly it's not a traditional one.

My mum's Nelia (an unusual name even in Brazil where she's from); nickname Nell.

winkle2 · 24/05/2012 21:42

Fenella

ElphabaisWicked · 24/05/2012 19:45

I've only ever known it to be short for Ellen. My nanna was a Nell (Ellen) or Nellie and dd is Ellen and she likes Nellie as a nickname. I've never known any Helen's be called Nell.

CruCru · 24/05/2012 19:40

Nell Gwyn (mistress of Charles the second) was Eleanor. I think she is the most famous Nell that I can think of.

Nell Gwyn

Original poster
AhsokaTano · 24/05/2012 19:10

What puts me off Helen is that it seems so 'solid' if that makes any sense so it's nice to hear from Helens who really like their name.

I do prefer Helena but in my mind I pronounce it Hel-ai-na with the emphasis on the middle syllable whereas I know my mum for example pronounces it Hel-e-na emphasis on the Hel.

It would suit all ages though I suppose from baby to granny, and there is unlikely to be another in the class.

OP posts:
libbyssister · 23/05/2012 23:08

I am a Helen and love my name! Have NEVER been referred to as Nell. Didn't know it was even a nn for Helen...

PeanutButterRaptosaurus · 23/05/2012 22:08

Danielle