Ethel
Ethel was the #4,172 girls' name in the US in 2025 (34 babies), and #1,229 in England & Wales.
Ethel as a girl’s name
- US
- England & Wales
- Ireland
- Canada
Show the numbers
| Year | US | England & Wales | Ireland | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,172 (34) | #1,229 (26) | — | — |
| 2024 | #4,893 (27) | #980 (36) | #412 (9) | #2,685 (7) |
| 2023 | #5,390 (23) | #1,169 (28) | #625 (5) | #3,290 (5) |
| 2022 | #4,793 (28) | #1,383 (23) | — | — |
| 2021 | #4,833 (27) | #1,195 (28) | — | #3,280 (5) |
| 2020 | #4,880 (26) | #1,687 (17) | #834 (3) | — |
| 2019 | #5,449 (23) | #1,389 (22) | — | — |
| 2018 | #4,357 (32) | #1,111 (31) | — | — |
| 2017 | #4,811 (28) | #1,105 (31) | — | — |
| 2016 | #5,284 (25) | #1,834 (16) | — | — |
| 2015 | #8,931 (12) | #1,452 (22) | — | — |
| 2014 | #5,993 (21) | #3,514 (6) | — | #3,316 (5) |
| 2013 | #8,135 (14) | #2,460 (10) | — | — |
| 2012 | #7,804 (15) | #2,969 (8) | — | #2,921 (6) |
| 2011 | #8,196 (14) | #3,185 (7) | — | — |
The tide so far
- Peaked in the US in 1894 at #7.
- Rising over the last five years.
- In the US records since the data begins in 1880.
- A comeback: it faded for decades and is rising again.
How common is it?
about 1 in 48,000 baby girls in the published US list for 2025.
In a group of 1,000 children born that year, you would expect to meet fewer than 1. How we work this out.
How common, country by country
| Where | Sex | Latest year | Share | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Girls | 2025 | about 1 in 48,000 | rare |
| England & Wales | Girls | 2025 | about 1 in 9,700 | uncommon |
Next year
On its recent trend, Ethel is likely to keep falling in the US in 2026: about 1 in 50,000 baby girls. Likely range 1 in 39,000 to 1 in 66,000.
Estimate, not an official figure. How we estimate.
Spellings
Official statistics count each spelling separately, so we show them side by side rather than adding them up.
| Spelling | Where | Sex | Latest rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethel | Canada | Girls | — | too few |
| Ethel | England & Wales | Girls | #1,229 | 26 |
| Ethel | Ireland | Girls | — | too few |
| Ethel | Northern Ireland | Girls | — | too few |
| Ethel | US | Girls | #4,172 | 34 |
| Ethel | US | Boys | — | too few |