Ethelle
Noble, brave one from the Greek word "ethikos".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Ethelle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ethelle today is around 82 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ethelle births was 1918 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ethelle. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ethelle is about 82 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Ethelles were born before 1954.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ethelle. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1918
8 babies that year
Average age
82
years old
1950 SSA rank
#5,542
Tracked since 1895
Popularity
Ethelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ethelle from the 1890s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 36 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ethelle by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ethelle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ethelle
The given name Ethelle is a variant spelling of the name Ethel, which has its origins in the Old English language. It is derived from the Germanic elements "ƍðil" meaning "noble" and "ƍild" meaning "battle" or "combat." The name Ethelle was likely a medieval spelling variation that emerged in parts of England during the Middle Ages.
Ethelle can be traced back to the 9th century, when it first appeared in historical records and documents from Anglo-Saxon England. During this period, the name was primarily used among the noble classes and aristocracy, reflecting its noble connotations.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name Ethelle was Ethelle of Wessex, a noblewoman who lived in the late 9th century and was a member of the royal household of King Alfred the Great. She is mentioned in several contemporary chronicles and chronicles from the period.
In the 11th century, Ethelle appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation compiled in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. Several landowners and tenants with the name Ethelle are listed in this important historical document.
During the Middle Ages, the name Ethelle was also found in various literary works and religious texts. One notable example is the 13th-century Middle English poem "The Owl and the Nightingale," where a character named Ethelle is mentioned.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ethelle, including:
1. Ethelle Weinert (1894-1974), an American artist and illustrator known for her contributions to children's literature.
2. Ethelle Bean (1904-1977), an American actress and vaudeville performer who appeared in several Broadway productions.
3. Ethelle Lord (1887-1964), a Canadian painter and art teacher who played a significant role in the development of modern art in Western Canada.
4. Ethelle Barto (1895-1983), an American journalist and author who wrote several books on travel and adventure.
5. Ethelle Hammon (1906-1995), an American artist and ceramist who was known for her intricate and detailed ceramic sculptures.
It is important to note that while the name Ethelle has a rich historical background, it has become relatively uncommon in modern times, with many parents opting for more contemporary variations or spellings of the name.
People
Ethelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ethelle as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ethelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ethelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ethelle going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Ethelle a common name?
We classify Ethelle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 65 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ethelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Ethelle was 1918, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ethelle is about 82 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Ethelle in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Ethelle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ethelle in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Ethelle still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Ethelle in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Ethelle can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Ethelle?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Ethelle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.