Total births
278,922
Girls' name · since 1880
Ethel
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 278,922 babies named Ethel, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4893
- among girls today
- 278,922
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other girls
278,922 babies have been named Ethel since 1880, making it today's #4893 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ethel has been recorded 278,922 times among girls since 1880, currently ranked #4893 nationally and more common than 72% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #4893 among girls today
- 278,922 born since 1880
- 1910s peak decade
- 72% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ethel is currently the #4893 girls' name in America, more common than 72% of girls - 278,922 born since 1880, peaking in the 1910s.
- #4893
- among girls today
- 278,922
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 72%
- more common than other girls
Ethel vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#4893
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 72% of names given to girls today.
1910s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Ethel was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
8,075 babies were named Ethel in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
How Ethel compares
278,922 Top 1% higher than 99% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ethel's all-time total is 730x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ethel | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 278,922 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 8,075 | 48 | 19,840 |
Ethel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ethel splits its recorded history at 1953: 5% of all births land in the more recent half, 95% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 2015 (12 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 8,075 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ethel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1918
Current rank
#4,893
Active since
1880
Ethel popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1918)
- 8,075
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Ethel popularity over time - boys
1,490 total births recorded since 1880 (Ethel as boys' name)
Ethel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Ethel's strongest decade.
63,662 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Ethel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 14,866
1880s
14,866 births
- 1890s
1890s
31,453 births
- 1900s
1900s
34,868 births
- 1910s
1910s
63,662 births
- 1920s
1920s
62,806 births
- 1930s
1930s
31,582 births
- 1940s 20,582
1940s
20,582 births
- 1950s 11,544
1950s
11,544 births
- 1960s 4,691
1960s
4,691 births
- 1970s 1,499
1970s
1,499 births
- 1980s 547
1980s
547 births
- 1990s 272
1990s
272 births
- 2000s 187
2000s
187 births
- 2010s 198
2010s
198 births
- 2020s 165
2020s
165 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 63,662 births (23% of all-time use).
How Ethel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ethel's total volume
Ethel vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ethel by state
Where Ethel concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 16,133 | 5.8% |
| #2 | New York | | 14,468 | 5.2% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 10,214 | 3.7% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 9,073 | 3.3% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 8,851 | 3.2% |
| #6 | Texas | | 8,370 | 3.0% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 8,127 | 2.9% |
| #8 | Mississippi | | 8,061 | 2.9% |
Pennsylvania share of Ethel's total US births 5.8%
Even split
16,133 of 278,922 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Ethel appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ethel? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 278,922 babies named Ethel. Today it holds rank #4893 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 8,075 births.
When was Ethel most popular? ▼
Ethel was most popular in the 1910s decade with 63,662 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Ethel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ethel are Pennsylvania (16,133 births), New York (14,468 births), North Carolina (10,214 births).
How long has the name Ethel been used? ▼
Records for Ethel go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Ethel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ethelyn, Ethyl, Ethelene, Etha, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ethel's data
- Ethel's decade-level peak was the 1910s (63,662 total births); usage has since declined to 165 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Ethels (16,133 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ethel
Nearby Names Like Ethel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ethel
Ethelyn Girl
4,450 births
Ethyl Girl
2,395 births
Ethelene Girl
1,837 births
Etha Girl
1,802 births
Ether Girl
1,214 births
Compare Ethel side by side: Ethel vs Ethelyn Ethel vs Ethyl Ethel vs Ethelene
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ethel
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ethel: #4893 Girls' Name - 278,922 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ethel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ethel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.