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Someone in my family tree married a Nellie who was born in about 1880. Just Nellie, and a family ln as her mn. So it's got a history of independent use! But I prefer to use the long form. Nicknames happen! Giving a child a nickname as her/his full name limits their choices and doesn't eliminate the possibility of them developing some or other nn anyway.

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Apart from Elinor and Helen, and Elizabeth and Elspeth, there's also Penelope. Nell is actually rather nice as a nn for any of them; it's been out of use for long enough to sound really fresh.

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I once knew an Anna Elisabeth who went by Nellsie. Just saying!