I really like the name [name]Elle[/name], but go back and fourth whether it works as a full name or not.
I’d rather use it as a nickname myself, for one of the many names with -el or -elle in them.
Certainly it can be used as a stand alone name but personally I would pick one of the many beautiful names that can be shortened to [name]Elle[/name]. 
Hmm, [name]Elle[/name] is a tough name to categorise as to whether it can stand alone or not. There are longer names it can be a nickname for but I think people like [name]Elle[/name] because it’s simple and pretty. People use [name]Ella[/name] as a full name, and [name]Elle[/name] is definitely more stable than [name]Ellie[/name].
I think that if it is a legal name, it can have a sophisticated, reliable middle name so it sounds more serious. Like:
[name]Elle[/name] [name]Florence[/name]
[name]Elle[/name] [name]Lavinia[/name]
[name]Elle[/name] [name]Victoria[/name]
[name]Elle[/name] [name]Juliana[/name]
[name]Elle[/name] [name]Katherine[/name] / [name]Catherine[/name]
[name]Elle[/name] [name]Amelia[/name]
Everyone, thank you!
Amberdaydream, also a thank you for the suggestion of MNs. I really like your idea.
My 4 year old is named [name]Elle[/name] [name]Sofia[/name]. Some people just absolutely don’t understand her name (usually people from an older generation, questions like, ‘just the letter L?’) but for the most part people really seem to like it. I, of course, love it and think it suits her perfectly. I have occasionally wondered if we should have named her something a little longer/more formal if only so I’d have the answer, ‘it’s short for [name]Ellen[/name]’ or whatever when people don’t get it. So if you think it might bother you, I’d opt for something longer and use it as a nickname. [name]Hope[/name] that helps!
It’s alright on it’s own, but I’d prefer it as a nickname to [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Eloise[/name], and the like.
I think I like it equally as a nn and a full name. I love it on its own, but I wouldn’t hesitate to use it as a nn for [name]Isabelle[/name], [name]Elisabeth[/name], [name]Eleanor[/name], [name]Elena[/name], [name]Gabrielle[/name], etc.
I like it, and would probably use it as a nickname, if only because I like names that can have [name]Elle[/name] as a nickname. If no names I liked had the nickname [name]Elle[/name], I would use it on its own.
I also know a girl named [name]Elle[/name] who is in my grade, and no one thinks it is short for anything.
I’ll put my 2 cents in, because I have thought long and hard about this very thing, myself. [name]Elle[/name] has been my top girl name for several years. Now that I am finally having my baby girl, I have decided to use [name]Elle[/name] as a nickname and not a full name for a few reasons - and I am a person who loves [name]Elle[/name] for it’s beautiful simplicity. However, my baby’s full name will be [name]Estelle[/name]. [name]Estelle[/name] has more substance than [name]Elle[/name]. It has a nicer meaning - [name]Estelle[/name] means “star”. [name]Elle[/name] means “she”. Also, with the popularity of anything [name]Elle[/name]/[name]Ella[/name]/[name]Ellie[/name], lately, I thought it would be nice if her full name were a little more unique.
In [name]France[/name] (as well as other Latin language countries), [name]Elle[/name] isn’t even a name - it’s a feminine pronoun. Something I read once bothered me a little. The poster said, “Naming your child [name]Elle[/name] in [name]France[/name] would be the equivalent of naming her “woman” here”. I know I’m not in [name]France[/name], but I do have French heritage and the more I think about it, the more I dislike this fact. [name]Estelle[/name] is an internationally recognized name. It’s just a stronger name than [name]Elle[/name], and the same can be said for several other names that could shorten to [name]Elle[/name]. There are just SO many names that shorten to [name]Elle[/name], I’d hate to name her that and have people constantly ask what her full name is. A longer name will just give her more options. Plus, she can still be called [name]Elle[/name].
Also, this is probably not an issue for you but for me, I had one other annoying factor in my life that helped me make this decision. A few years ago, I told a “friend” that I was naming my future daughter [name]Elle[/name]. She turned around and got pregnant and then named her daughter [name]Elle[/name]. I’ve never really gotten over that. Thankfully, this is not a close friend, so I can still get away with using the name, but irritating nonetheless. If I name my daughter [name]Estelle[/name], their names will be technically different.
Good luck with your decision. I’m curious to know what you decide!