Ethel Name Meaning, Origin & Gender

Ethel Name at a Glance

Name	Ethel
Meaning	Diminutive of Ethelinda: From Aethelind, the Old English name meaning noble snake. Diminutive of Etheldreda, from the Old English name Aethelthryth, meaning noble and strength. Diminutive of Eldreda from Alfred, meaning old counsel, or sage.
Origin	English
Gender	Girl

What Does the Name Ethel Mean?

According to the information recorded in our baby name database, Ethel means “Diminutive of Ethelinda: From Aethelind, the Old English name meaning noble snake. Diminutive of Etheldreda, from the Old English name Aethelthryth, meaning noble and strength. Diminutive of Eldreda from Alfred, meaning old counsel, or sage”. Name meanings can vary between languages, regions and naming traditions, so families may also wish to confirm a meaning within the cultural or linguistic context that matters to them.

Ethel Name Origin

Our database records Ethel under English origin. Browse more English baby names to compare other names in the same origin collection.

Is Ethel a Boy or Girl Name?

In our database, Ethel is listed as a girl name. Usage can differ across countries, languages and families.

Choosing the Name Ethel

When considering Ethel for a baby, you may want to compare its recorded meaning and origin with family traditions, pronunciation, spelling, initials, middle names and how the full name sounds with the family name.