Ethel
/ˈɛθəl/noun
A traditionally feminine English given name derived from an Old English element meaning “noble.”
Did you know?Ethel was originally a name-element in Anglo-Saxon royal names such as Æthelred and Æthelflæd before becoming a standalone feminine name in modern English.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*aþalą
“Noble status, inherited property, or lineage”
Old English
Old English
æthel
“Noble, belonging to a noble family or lineage”
Old English
Old English
Æthel-
“A name-element meaning “noble,” used in royal and aristocratic names”
11th Century
Old English
æþeling
“A person of noble birth, especially a prince or member of a royal family”
Middle English
English
Ethel
“A shortened or Anglicized form of names beginning with Æthel-”
19th Century
English
Ethel
“A revived feminine given name, popular in Victorian Britain”
Modern English
English
Ethel
“A feminine personal name, often associated with the late Victorian and early 20th-century period”