Ethel — Girl name popularity
2025 rank #4211 · peak #6 (1896) · 278,922 babies all-time
Ethel is a girls' name that, in 2025, was ranked #4211 (34 babies) in the United States, according to the Social Security Administration. Its all-time peak was #6 in 1896 (3,502 babies). Across the years tracked here it has been given to about 278,922 babies. Ethel is far below its peak and has become less common. The table below shows Ethel's SSA rank and birth count year by year. (We report only counts SSA publishes; years where the name fell below SSA's 5-baby threshold show no count.)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names. Data as of SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026.
Ethel popularity over time
Rank and number of girls named Ethel per year, from SSA national data. Recent years are shown individually; earlier history is shown at decade points back to 1880.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4211 | 34 |
| 2024 | #4937 | 27 |
| 2023 | #5440 | 23 |
| 2022 | #4835 | 28 |
| 2021 | #4880 | 27 |
| 2020 | #4933 | 26 |
| 2019 | #5490 | 23 |
| 2018 | #4387 | 32 |
| 2017 | #4851 | 28 |
| 2016 | #5337 | 25 |
| 2015 | #9129 | 12 |
| 2014 | #6059 | 21 |
| 2013 | #8273 | 14 |
| 2012 | #7954 | 15 |
| 2011 | #8333 | 14 |
| 2010 | #8397 | 14 |
| 2009 | #8181 | 15 |
| 2008 | #9136 | 13 |
| 2007 | #7496 | 17 |
| 2006 | #8885 | 13 |
| 2005 | #6086 | 20 |
| 2004 | #5429 | 23 |
| 2003 | #5138 | 24 |
| 2002 | #4311 | 29 |
| 2001 | #5893 | 19 |
| 2000 | #7285 | 14 |
| 1999 | #4770 | 23 |
| 1998 | #5650 | 18 |
| 1997 | #6595 | 14 |
| 1996 | #3872 | 28 |
| 1990 | #2578 | 46 |
| 1980 | #1575 | 74 |
| 1970 | #689 | 228 |
| 1960 | #359 | 731 |
| 1950 | #176 | 1,602 |
| 1940 | #106 | 2,373 |
| 1930 | #65 | 4,101 |
| 1920 | #30 | 7,868 |
| 1910 | #13 | 4,146 |
| 1900 | #8 | 3,896 |
| 1890 | #7 | 2,718 |
| 1880 | #38 | 633 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names. Data as of SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026.
Key facts
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Sex | Girl |
| 2025 rank | #4211 |
| 2025 babies | 34 |
| Peak rank | #6 (1896) |
| Peak-year babies | 3,502 |
| First tracked year | 1880 |
| All-time babies (tracked years) | 278,922 |
Similar in popularity (2025)
| Girl name | 2025 rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Maude | #3367 | 46 |
| Tammy | #3703 | 41 |
| Cheryl | #4376 | 32 |
| Debra | #4478 | 31 |
| Bertha | #4569 | 30 |
| Thelma | #4745 | 29 |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Ethel for girls?
In 2025, Ethel was the 4211th most popular girls' name in the US, given to 34 babies, per the Social Security Administration. Its all-time peak was #6 in 1896 (3,502 babies).
When was Ethel most popular?
For girls, Ethel peaked at rank #6 in 1896 (3,502 babies). The first year it appears in SSA data (within our tracked years) is 1880. It has been given to about 278,922 babies in total across the years we track.
Is Ethel a boy or girl name?
In the SSA data we track, Ethel appears predominantly as a girls' name; it does not have a separate ranked entry for boys in our dataset.
Keep exploring
Source
U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names, national data 1880–2025. SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026. Public domain (U.S. Government). SSA has no name meanings or origins; this page presents only popularity data. See our methodology.
Last updated: 2026-06-22