Ethel

Ethel is a girl's name of English origin meaning “noble.” In 2024 it was given to 27 girls in the United States.

Ethel at a glance

Gender
Girl name
Origin
English & American
Meaning
“noble”
Pronunciation
/ˈɛθɪl/

About the name Ethel

Ethel belongs to the English & American tradition. Its meaning — “noble” — is the sense carried by its English roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Ethel first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #6 in 1896, and in 2024 27 babies received the name — 278,890 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Ethel in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#6 in 1896
Peak year
1918
Babies named Ethel in 2024
27
Total since 1880
278,890

Similar names

More names from the English & American shelf:

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Ethel mean?

Ethel means “noble” in its English roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Ethel a boy or girl name?

Ethel is a girl name. In 2024, 27 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Ethel?

Ethel comes from the English & American tradition.

How popular is the name Ethel?

Ethel first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #6 in 1896, and 27 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Ethel?

Ethel is pronounced /ˈɛθɪl/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.