נלי
Nelly means “torch or light, from Helen (Greek)”
Nelly is a girl's name of international origin.
- In Hebrew
- נלי
- In English letters
- Nelly
- Other English spellings
- Neli, Nelli
- Meaning
- Torch or light, from Helen (Greek)
- Origin
- International
- Given to
- Girls
- Gematria value
- 90
1,903 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 carry the name Nelly.
- 1,891 of them are women and girls, and 12 are men and boys.
- 62 of them were born in 2022, more than in any other year.
- Carriers born 2020 to 2024: 270, against 51 born 2010 to 2014, so its share of births is growing.
Central Bureau of Statistics register, April 2025. People who changed their name are counted under the one they carry now, and a year with fewer than five shows as zero.
This is how Nelly is counted in each population group.
These are the people born 1949 to 2024 who carry the spelling נלי today, in each population group and sex the register lists for it. The rank counts the names given in 2024, and 1 is the most given. A count under 5 is not published, so the table says “fewer than 5”, and 0 means nobody.
| Population group | Carriers | Born in 2024 | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewish girls | 1,891 | 46 | 230 of 678 |
| Jewish boys | 12 | fewer than 5 | – |
| Muslim girls | 33 | 0 | – |
| Christian Arab girls | 72 | 0 | – |
| Druze girls | 12 | 0 | – |
In 2024, Nelly ranked 230 of 678 among the names given to Jewish girls.
Source: the Central Bureau of Statistics table of current first names of people born 1949 to 2024, by sex and population group (release 391/2025 of 8 December 2025, read on 2 November 2026). Groups and sexes with no row for this spelling are left out.
These six names are close to Nelly in theme or origin.
These are the questions people ask about the name Nelly.
What does the name Nelly mean?
Nelly means “torch or light, from Helen (Greek)”. Nelly is a girl's name of international origin.
Is Nelly a boy's name or a girl's name?
Nelly is mainly a girl's name. Of the 1,903 Jewish Israelis born since 1949 who carry it, 1,891 are women and girls and 12 are men and boys.
How do you write Nelly in Hebrew?
Nelly is written נלי in Hebrew.
How many people in Israel are named Nelly?
1,903 Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 carry Nelly today. The most were born in 2022. In 2024, Nelly ranked 230 of 678 among the names given to Jewish girls.
Counts are Jewish Israelis born 1949 to 2024 who carry the name today, from the Central Bureau of Statistics register of April 2025. Meanings follow the standard etymologies of Hebrew name references, and where nobody can be sure the page says so.