Given name & surname
Nelli
“the son of Neil; the son of a champion”·“the shining light”
Nelli is a variant of Nelson. One English interpretation is “the son of Neil; the son of a champion.” Nelli is a variant of Nelly. In English use, Nelly carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Nelli is a variant of Nelson. One English interpretation is “the son of Neil; the son of a champion.” Nelli is a variant of Nelly. In English use, Nelly carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Nelli is a variant of Nelson. An origin associated with Nelson is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1977. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Nelli is a variant of Nelson. The history of Nelson gives this family its wider story. Nelson’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Nelli through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 385
- 0 boys · 385 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 25 babies
- 2025
- 25
- #5,190 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +46%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 25 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,190 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 45.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,679 as a first name in 2020; 412 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nelli’s family of names
Nelli has a related form in Nelson. Nelli has a related form in Nelly. In Finnish usage, Nelli was borrowed from the English form Nelly.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Nelli has relatives in 4 languages.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Nelli
- Nelli CoomanDutch sprinterborn 1964
- Nelli FeryabnikovaOlympic medalist in basketballborn 1949
- NellyEgyptian actressborn 1951
- Nelli AbramovaSoviet volleyball playerborn 1940
- Nelli UvarovaRussian actressborn 1980
- Nelli TarakanovaSoviet rowerborn 1954
- Nelli GorbatkovaSoviet field hockey player1958–1981
- Nelli DiffertEstonian fencer (born 1990)
- Nelli Korovkinaassociation football playerborn 1989
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nelli, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.