"Then we will call her Matilda," said he, "as it is a maxim of mine never to spoil children by giving them pet names."
"But you call your daughter Nellie," suggested the little widow, and in her soft, blue eye there shone a mischievous twinkle, as if she fancied she had beaten him in his own argument. - - -
"That is sister Kelsey's idea, and as she is very fond of Nellie I do not interfere.
Source: wiktionary
"Eleanor, that's kind of an old lady name. I like Nellie better. Nellie Kincaid, that's got a nice ring to it. It sounds like you're a singer or something.
Source: wiktionary
CHORUS:Be the holy man above tonight did ye ever see the likes. Sally Doran sitting there upon her great big nellie bike. It was at twelve o'clock at night, I got an awful fright. But it was only Sally Doran on her great big nellie bike.
Source: wiktionary