Nellie O’Malley, 1904

Nellie is a young girl from New York during the turn of the century. She is the Best Friend of Samantha, and was the first Best Friend doll, introduced by American Girl in 2004.

She represents the Progressive Era/The Turn of the 20th Century, sometimes called the Victorian Era in marketing.

Unlike Sanatha, Nellie grew up poor and shows the downsides to the Industrial Revolution on the working class. She is a hard worker who tries her hardest to keep her family together after the deaths of her parents. She is practical and level-headed, especially compared to Samantha. Nellie is of Irish descent, and was sometimes used as representation for the Irish American community.

Nellie was archived in 2009 with Samantha, and unlike her best friend, she seems unlikely to be rereleased.