Usual Nickname, Unexpected Name--Nell

With all the names that Nell is historically short for, it's surprising it's not more popular. The usual suspects include Helen, Eleanor, & Ellen, although any English name with a prominent 'el' sound is possible. Of course, it's not the most intuitive nickname in modern English.
Nell came about either as a rhyming nickname for Ell, or through the habit of calling loved ones 'Mine ____'. For instance, 'Mine Ellen' turned eventually into 'My Nell'. Most likely, both factors contributed.

• Antonella (an-toh-NEL-lah, Italian)--feminine form of Anthony.
• Daniella (dan-YEL-lah, English)
• Finella (fin-EL-lah, Irish)--Anglicized from Fionnuala.
• Ionela (yoh-NEL-lah, Romanian)--feminine form of John.
• Kornelia (kor-NEL-yah, German)
• Marianela (mahr-ee-an-EL-ah, Spanish)
• Narelle (nah-REL, English)
• Nedelya (ned-EHL-yah, Bulgarian)
• Nelda (NEL-dah, English)--feminine of Neil
• Nelinha (nel-EEN-yah, Portuguese)
• Nephele (NEF-el-ee, Greek)
• Ninel (neen-YEL, Russian)
• Noella (noh-EHL-lah, French)--"Christmas"
• Ornella (or-NEL-lah, Italian)
• Penelope (pen-EL-oh-pee, English)--from Greek, "weaver"
• Peronel (PEHR-oh-nel, English)--form of Petronilla. Other forms include Petronel, Petronella, & Pernel.
• Prunella (proo-NEL-lah, English)--from Latin, "plum"
• Sanela (sah-NEH-lah, Croatian)--from Latin, "healthy"