Ethel

Did you know?

A few things about Ethel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Ethel

Ethel Barrymore

American actress (1879–1959)

Choose Ethel and your child shares a first name with Ethel Barrymore, an American actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ethel, like who?” Ethel Barrymore's Wikipedia article is available in 57 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Ethel Barrymore on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 47,170 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Ethel, 34 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ethel would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryEthel has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Ethels, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1896, when it ranked #6. Today it's #4,172, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowEthel is 2.8× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 129,870 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 47,170.
• 🚀TrendEthel has climbed 708 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #4,172. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 💬MeaningIn Old English, Ethel means “noble”.

About the name Ethel

Ethel is a girl name of Old English origin meaning “noble”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-hel”. US birth records list Ethel for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1896, when it ranked #6 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #4,172, with 34 babies.

Origin:Old English names