Nel is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname:
André Nel (born 1977), South African cricketer
Anton Nel (born 1961), American classical pianist
Dewald Nel (born 1980), Scottish cricketer
Elizabeth Nel (1917–2007), personal secretary to Winston Churchill during the Second World War
Gert Cornelius Nel (1885–1950), South African botanist
Gert Vlok Nel (born 1963), South African poet
Jack Nel (born 1928), South African cricketer
Johannes Nel (born 1981), Namibian cricketer
Philip Nel (born 1969), American scholar of children's literature and professor of English
Philip J. Nel (1902–1984), South African rugby union player
Ruhan Nel (born 1991), South African rugby union player
Vita Nel, South African beach volleyball player
WP Nel (born 1986), South African-born Scottish rugby player
Given name:
Nellie Nel Benschop (1918–2005), Dutch poet
Nel Noddings (born 1929), American feminist, educationalist, and philosopher
Nel Tarleton (1906–1956), English featherweight boxer
Nel van Vliet (1926–2006), Dutch swimmer
Nel Rawlison, a main character in Henryk Sienkiewicz's novel In Desert and Wilderness