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👍 Ethel
♀ Girl
How to Pronounce Ethel
Pronounced ETH-əl
🔊 Hear it /ˈɛθ.əl/ High ⧉ copy
Meaning: From Old English/Germanic aethel, 'noble' (a short form of names like Etheldreda) High ⧉ copy
In 30 seconds: Noble and vintage: Ethel is Old English for 'noble'. Stately, warm, and ripe for revival (singer Ethel Merman).
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Meaning From Old English/Germanic aethel, 'noble' (a short form of names like Etheldreda)
U.S. rank (2025) #4211 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births 34 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year 1918
Total births (all-time) ≈ 278,890
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Shop mom essentials Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data peak 1918 1880 2025 U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data .
History & Origin Ethel comes from Old English aethel , 'noble' — originally a short form of names like Etheldreda and Ethelinda. A stately, warm Victorian-era classic (singer Ethel Merman), now ripe for revival.
It registers thinly today. Rare now, noble at the root, and stately.
Did you know? Ethel means 'noble' (Old English aethel) — a short form of longer 'noble' names; a stately Victorian classic (Ethel Merman; I Love Lucy's Ethel).
Overall data confidence 82%
Variations Ethyl Ethelinda Ethelyn
Nicknames Eth
Famous Bearers Famous bearers coming soon. If you like Ethel… Edith — a fellow vintage noble-rooted name Mabel — a companion vintage classic Pearl — another reviving vintage name Hazel — a fellow Victorian-era name Frequently Asked What does the name Ethel mean? Ethel is Old English for 'noble'.
How do you pronounce Ethel? It's said ETH-əl /ˈɛθ.əl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Ethel a boy or girl name? Ethel is a girl's name.
How popular is Ethel? Ethel is a rare name in the U.S. today.
