Given name
Nellene
“the shining light”
Nellene is a variant of Nelly. In English use, Nelly carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Nellene is a variant of Nelly. In English use, Nelly carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1920. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nellene through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 180
- 0 boys · 180 girls
- Most popular year
- 1951
- 14 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 7 in 1957. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 14 in 1951. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 128 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nellene’s family of names
Nellene has a related form in Nelly.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Nellene, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Eilene
“a birdlike woman”
>99% girls
Ilene
“the light-bearer; from the green meadow”
>99% girls
Nona
“the ninth-born child”
>99% girls
Sharlene
“a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Noreen
“light”
>99% girls
Evonne
“a young archer”
>99% girls
Charlene
“a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Elayne
“the shining light”
>99% girls