Nelly

Nelly originated as a medieval English pet form of Ellen or Eleanor, both of which trace back ultimately to the Greek Helene, meaning torch or bright one, though some scholars connect Eleanor to an Old French form of a Germanic name. The name enjoyed widespread use in the English-speaking world and was further popularized by figures such as the Australian soprano Nellie Melba, born Helen Mitchell, who adopted a stage name derived from Melbourne. Nelly functions as an independent given name as well as a familiar form, and it appears across several European languages including Swedish, French, and German. Related forms include Nellie, Nell, Ellen, Eleanor, and Helen.