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ArchivesA man named Ethel
I’m currently reading a novel by Jules Verne, focused on a moving island founded by some Americans. One of its inhabitants is named Ethel. The strangeness is that Ethel is a man. How can it be possible? If you find it useful, know that this novel was written in 1895.
Thank you and have a nice day.
You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right. ~Marie Curie
My name list: behindthename.com/pnl/223545
Thank you and have a nice day.
You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right. ~Marie Curie
My name list: behindthename.com/pnl/223545
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Jules Verne was French, so I suppose someone with a knowledge of French names should comment on this.
However, Ethelbert, Ethelred, and Etheldred were definitely used on occasion as a male given names in 19th century America. Perhaps Verne had read or heard about some American man with one of those names and thought Ethel would make a good short form for his character.
However, Ethelbert, Ethelred, and Etheldred were definitely used on occasion as a male given names in 19th century America. Perhaps Verne had read or heard about some American man with one of those names and thought Ethel would make a good short form for his character.
This message was edited 8/21/2021, 11:36 AM
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If you look at the popularity data BehindtheName has on Ethel, it had some limited usage as male name particularly during the 1880s and 1890s and even a few years after that. Maybe at some point it was a male name? I don't know how it was used in France.
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