Girls with Boy names...

Your choise.

Your mother is stuck in her generation. Do what you and DH want to do.

I think her friends or siblings will end up choosing her NN later but, you can't call her Eli if you want.
I have an Eliza. None of her friends use a NN & call her Eliza. But, her baby sis calls her "Liza".

I think it's cute. Tell your mom to call her Ellie then!! LOL

But seriously, once the baby is here, grandma will be so happy that it won't matter. She will just know her grandbaby can make any name perfect!!! :)

It's up to you, but personally I'd listen to your mother. I went through school with the name Jo, which is definitely a girl's name, but which sounds like a boy's. I was teased relentlessly and still despise the name.

I like it and see no problem with it. She can call her something else but
you call her what you want.

My mom hated the name we chose for our daughter (Rylie). I didn't care then, ten years later, no one even mentions that they didn't like her name at first.

I think Elizabeth Grace is lovely as a matter of fact that is what DD is planning to call her baby when she is born.
I think you should call her what you want. I do think your mother will be frustrated if she tries to call her what you do not (unless she is taking care of her while you work or something like that) because the baby will find it too confusing and will ignore what she is not used to being called. It will be a few years before your daughter will be able to decide on her own name or respond to more than one.
I would gently tell momma that she had the joy of naming her children and you get to have that joy too.

love the name! when we were looking at middle names Elizabeth and Grace were both on the short list (Elizabeth won).

anyways, i dont see the big deal. its a nickname, not her legal name. grandma doesnt have to call her Eli and if your DD hates it she can always go by one of the dozen other nicknames for Elizabeth. you & your DH are doing this smart imo.