Comments for the name Ethel

Another version of the name Ethel is Ethelene. It has been used many times in my family.

Ethel Merman was a star of stage and film musicals.

Ethel Barrett was a wonderful storyteller and author of children's Christian books.

Vivian Vance played Ethel, Lucy's best friend on the T.V. show "I Love Lucy."

My name is Ethel and it has been recycled so many times in my family. I am the youngest one (36). My parents went out on a limb when they named me in the late 60's! I don't think it will ever come back!

Sounds like a mean old aunt to me, not a very nice name for a child!

This was the name of Ethel Rosenberg who was executed with her husband as a Soviet spy.

Yes, makes me think of very old people. Hmm?

When I hear this name I think of noble Anglo-Saxon maidens and classy Victorian ladies.

Ethel Skinner was a fictional dithery pensioner in the British soap 'EastEnders' in the Eighties and Nineties.

I don't mind old-fashioned names but this one doesn't do much for me. Plus it reminds me of 'ethyl.'

'Ethel' can be a short form of the Greek 'etheloisa'. "Kouk Etheloisa" means "despite herself." It is mentioned in the poetess Sappho's ode to Aphrodite. So Ethel, I believe would mean "her" or possibly "you." That wouldn't be much of a name though, more of an adjective or something.

It sounds like the name of a cranky great aunt.

I don't really like this name. Sounds like the name of some cartoon hen or something. It almost rhymes with "Heckle."

A famous bearer is Ethel Barrymore, actress of the stage and screen, born in 1879.

In the United States and in the first decade of the 20th century, this was both a popular girl's name and a very rarely used boy's name, yet the majority only know it as a granny name, for it dropped out of the boys' top 1,000 around 1910. The girl's name, at the time, was also occasionally spelt 'Ethyl' - a variant spelling rather than a borrowing of the word 'ethyl' (also pronounced 'eeth-ill'), indicating a type of alcohol.

Sounds as dated today as such elaborations as Ethelburga ("noble fortress" in Anglo-Saxon) and Ethelinda ("noble serpent"), as well as the male name Ethelbert. Although Ethel is an old lady's name today, it was a middle-aged woman's name in the 1950s and a young girl's name in the 1900s. Despite also being a rare male name when it made the boys' top 1,000 in the United States in the 1900s, it is virtually unknown in that role today. Practically everyone does not see this name as unisex, but feminine only.

I hate it. The name is hopelessly old-fashioned, and it has an unpleasant ending. When you combine the ''th'' sound and the ''ulll'' sound, it just sounds ugly.

I have to laugh whenever I hear this name. It makes me think of that Ray Stevens song "The Streak" (Ethel, put your clothes back on!).

Although the name Ethel has a soft sound and a nice meaning, I don't like it. I have a relative with this name and she goes by her middle name because she says Ethel sounds like a kind of gasoline.

Ethel Hallow is a character in the children's stories "The Worst Witch", by Jill Murphy. She is portrayed as being a not-very-nice character, and arch nemesis of the heroine of the books, Mildred Hubble. Despite this, I think it's a lovely name. :)

A famous bearer was American singer Ethel Azama (August 1934 – March 1984). She was well-known for her night club and hotel performances in Hawaii, America, and Australia.

I don't know anything about the origin or anything but all I know is this name makes me think of an ugly girl with buck teeth.

It's spelled nicely, but this name is so ugly sounding. I can't imagine why it was ever popular.

I'm sort of shocked that nobody has mentioned Ethel Waters, an African-American musical theater star whose performance of the song "Suppertime" in the musical As Thousands Cheer is considered one of the greatest musical theater performances of all time.

Dame Ethel Smythe, English composer.

This is my favourite girl's name. I think it sounds so sweet, soft, feminine, and classic. But I don't think I could never name my child Ethel, because everyone thinks it is such an ugly name. "Old granny name". Too bad. :(

I like this name, why does everyone think it is an old ladies name? Alright, maybe I just like it because I study old English, and automatically think of Æðelþryð, Æðelflæd and other awesome Anglo Saxon persons. The name needs hip young ladies to give it a revival it deserves.

I really like this name and I am going to name my daughter Ethel when she is born. My family and I pronounce it Eth-ell, like the 'ell' in Ella, not Eth-Ull. I do not particularly like it with the 'ull' sound at the end. I know that a fair few people do not like it and it is considered 'old-fashioned', which does not bother me and if the baby does not like it then she can go by her middle name.
I was called Ella in the 80s and it was considered an old lady name, now it is on all the top-ten lists, perhaps the same will happen to Ethel.

Ethel is such a soft and pretty name. It makes a nice nickname for Aethelthryth.

Ethel Shannon was an actress.

Ethel Skakel is the widow of Robert F. Kennedy.

This name is gross. It sounds like a chemical name. D:

I don't like this name, it sounds too lispy.

Name of the Day: March 12, 2011.

I love the name, I think the name has a nice ring, it's soft, pretty, and I've always preferred the 'yll' sound to the 'Elle' (it's a bit spunkier)
But I think it's still too dated for baby use. Maybe in another 10-15 years.

I think Ethel is the definitive old lady name. Can't imagine anyone using it nowadays but anything's possible.

Lily Allen (singer) and her husband Sam Cooper named their first daughter Ethel Mary (born 11/25/11).

I can't believe I ever used to like this name! It's so disgusting, it reminds me of an old lady but when I was younger I really wanted to be called Ethel?!?!?!

This is my grandma's name. She doesn't like her name. It was trendy but going down in popularity when she was born. It made her and my family dislike trendy names. She has a lot of female descendants, but none of them are named Ethel. She told people not to use it. I would not recommend this name.

"Big" Ethel Muggs is the lanky and bucktooth admirer of Jughead Jones in the Archie Comic universe.

Name of the Day: March 12, 2013.

Why must everyone automatically dislike a name because it is old? I don't LOVE this name, however I don't dislike it either. In fact I have a book character named Ethel. I think it sounds nice. And fun and youthful.
(Not like an old lady)