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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Nellie

38 replies

Braindeer · 10/05/2024 12:39

Ive heard of a couple of baby Nellie’s recently and it’s growing on me, but wondering if (a) it is going to be a flash in the pan trend and/or (b) will people think of Nellie the Elephant?!

What do you think?

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RuthW · 11/05/2024 13:33

I lobe Nellie but only as a shortening.

Hate Ellie though

FayCarew · 11/05/2024 13:05

I like Nell but not Nellie. They both fall into all the Ellie, Ell, Elle type names,

hattylou · 11/05/2024 12:10

I am a Nell but it's short for a more classy name ( will not say as outing but already on this thread several times). I am Nell to family only.
Nellie the elephant isn't a great link and I wouldn't use it professionally.

Helen, Helena, Eleanor, Penelope, Fenella etc all shorten to Nell,/Nellie but give more options.

shockeditellyou · 11/05/2024 11:04

I find Nellie quite coarse- I don’t like it.

Sundaysunshine21 · 11/05/2024 11:01

Nelly isn’t a name I love, but I think it’s been fairly popular for a while. It’s at the sweet spot in terms of popularity I reckon, familiar but not common.

mrssunshinexxx · 11/05/2024 07:42

I have a 'Nelly/ Nell' full name is Penelope I love it

Original poster
Braindeer · 10/05/2024 16:30

It’s funny how so many love Nell and dislike Nellie!

I suppose a bit like the Harry/Barry/Gary thing - Harry is fine and the others seem totally dated, but there’s not really any logic to it!

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StarsHideYourFir3s · 10/05/2024 15:50

I don't like it (I also think of the elephant) but Nell is lovely.

harrietm87 · 10/05/2024 15:48

We used to call people with BO “smelly nellies” at school.

I know it’s awful but I picture Nellie as overweight - I think probably because of the elephant connection.

chdjdjdnfn · 10/05/2024 15:10

Nellie the elephant is the first thing that comes to my mind sorry!
Nell is nicer. Or Ellen, or Eleanor (shortened to Nell if you want)

salamithumbs · 10/05/2024 14:34

I really dislike it for some reason! It's one of the few names that strikes me as almost comically bad, like Gertrude 😬 not sure why, really, since there's nothing inherently wrong with Nellie the Elephant or 'not on your Nellie'... maybe it's Nellie Oleson from little house on the prairie! But I have a visceral reaction to it for whatever reason.
I think giving Eleanor or Penelope or something as a full name is better since the child will have options if she doesn't like Nellie... agree with pp that it's a big name to carry

Original poster
Braindeer · 10/05/2024 14:29

Oh no - I hadn’t realised someone from towie has a baby Nellie (or Nelly?)…I think that might be the final straw!

OP posts:
NahNeedsGarlic · 10/05/2024 13:45

Nellie is also sometimes used to mean a bit silly or forgetful, ‘she’s a right Nellie’.

Nicebloomers · 10/05/2024 13:44

Fenella is such a good suggestion by a pp. Nicknames to go through the ages- Nell, Nellie, Elle, Ella.

HappyEater · 10/05/2024 13:41

… The Elephant.

Sorry.

Actually, even worse it reminds me of the towie trash

TeenDivided · 10/05/2024 13:41

Eleanor. Can shorten to Ellie, or Nell or Nellie.

mydogisthebest · 10/05/2024 13:39

Started singing Nellie the Elephant as soon as I saw the title.

Don't like Nell either. Sounds like either an old woman or housemaid in Victorian times

CurlewKate · 10/05/2024 13:31

My neice is Helen, known as Nell. Love it. Don't like Nellie.

MabelMaybe · 10/05/2024 13:26

We had a Nellie, short for Ellen, in our family.

I'd go for the formal name and use Nellie when she's little. She can then choose whether to keep using it or swap to Ell, Nell, Lee etc. as she gets older. Nellie is a big name to carry if you don't feel like carrying it off.

IamaRevenant · 10/05/2024 13:15

I'm sorry but even reading the thread title the song came into my head, like PP. Also the saying 'not on your nelly'.

Nell is gorgeous.

Original poster
Braindeer · 10/05/2024 13:10

Ha ha! These are the kind of responses I need before letting baby brain take over.

Especially love the Victorian housemaid @ClipClopperDontStopper - I think you are right! I also put Elsie in this category.

OP posts:
CornflakesOnTheSolesOfHerShoes · 10/05/2024 13:08

Love Nell as a shortening for Eleanor. Nellie as a stand-alone name should be purely reserved for elephants.

Katypp · 10/05/2024 13:08

Honestly? I think why do people name their children as if they are going to be babies forever?
I'm not sure I would want a 'cute' or 'adorable' name when I was an adult. Would you?

Pancakefam · 10/05/2024 12:59

I adore this name. And the elephant song does not put me off

ClipClopperDontStopper · 10/05/2024 12:59

Nell is lovely.

Nellie is not so nice. Makes me think of some evil Victorian maid who poisons the household by putting arsenic in the soup tureen.