Rising since 2015, #13,208 for girls today.
Popularity of Neli since 1975
Babies named Neli per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2007, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Neli's real moment was 2022.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 10 |
| 1980s | 27 |
| 1990s | 79 |
| 2000s | 106 |
| 2010s | 39 |
| 2020s | 58 |
Meaning & origin
Neli is an uncommon given name in the United States, first recorded in the Social Security data in 1975. As of 2025, it ranked 13,208, with approximately 1 in every 267,878 girls receiving the name. Its usage has been rising slowly since about 2015, with a peak in relative popularity in 2022. The name likely originated as a variant or nickname for names like Nellie, Helen, or Cornelia, giving it a friendly, approachable feel. While top states for the name are not listed in the data due to its rarity, Neli fits a modern trend of simple, vowel-ending names. It remains a distinctive choice for parents seeking a name that is familiar yet not overused.
Neli is a modern given name, most likely a variant or diminutive of Nellie, which itself originated as a pet form of Ellen or Helen. It may also derive from names like Cornelia (Latin for "horn") or Petronella (Latin for "rock"). The name has seen scattered use in the United States since the 1970s, with a slight increase in popularity in the 2010s and 2020s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Nel, Nell, Nelly
Sibling names for Neli
Names that share Neli's style, for a brother or sister.
