Given name & surname · also German, Old English
Ethel
“a noble woman”·“one who is noble”
Ethel is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a noble woman” (German) and “one who is noble” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a noble woman” (German) and “one who is noble” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old English.
How it developed
Ethel is a short form of Ethelgiva.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Ethel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 280,412
- 1,490 boys · 278,922 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 8,110 babies
- 2025
- 34
- #4,211 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +4%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 34 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,211 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 3.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 8,075 in 1918. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 41,868 as a first name in 2020; a sample rank of No. 85,367 among surnames in 1990.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ethel’s family of names
In English usage, Ethel has a diminutive in Eth. In English usage, Ethel has a later derivative in ETELA. In English usage, Ethel has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Adela.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ethel has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
7 related names in 9 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Ethylvariant · English, Tagalog
- Ethalvariant
- Ethelindvariant
- Etheldavariant
- Ethshort form · English
- Ethealvariant
- Ethelindavariant
- Ethelindevariant
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Ethel
- Ethel BarrymoreAmerican actress (1879–1959)
- Ethel MermanAmerican actress and singer (1908-1984)
- Ethel VoynichBritish writer and musician (1864–1960)
- Ethel SmythEnglish composer and suffragette (1858–1944)
- Ethel WatersAmerican blues, jazz and gospel vocalist and actress (1896-1977)
- Ethel KennedyAmerican human-rights campaigner and spouse of US Senator Robert F. Kennedy1928–2024
- Ethel CatherwoodCanadian track and field athlete1908–1987
- Ethel SmithCanadian sprinter (1907-1979)
- Ethel CaterhamEnglish supercentenarian (born 1909)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ethel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Bethel
“of the house of God” · “the house of God”
4% boys · 96% girls
Adell
Adell is a unisex given name from Proto-Germanic.
>99% girls
Elma
“having God's protection”
>99% girls
Erma
“one who is complete; universal”
>99% girls
Elzie
“from the nobleman's estate”
19% boys · 81% girls
Bertha
“one who is famously bright and beautiful”
>99% girls
Etta
“ruler of the house”
>99% girls
Alva
“one who has a fair complexion” · “a bright man”
24% boys · 76% girls