Girls' name · since 1880
Ethyl
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 2,395 babies named Ethyl, peaking in 1915. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4,162 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 2,395
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
2,395 girls have been named Ethyl since 1880, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Ethyl recorded 2,395 times among girls since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1910s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 1971.
- #4,162 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 2,395 born since 1880
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ethyl ranks #4,162 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,395 born since 1880, peaking in the 1910s.
- #4,162 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 2,395
- born since 1880
- 1910s
- peak decade
Ethyl's 2,395 recorded births place it above 94.24% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
13 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Pennsylvania.
Ethyl's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ethyl's full recorded timeline at 1921, 37% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 63% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1956, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1915 peak of 92 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ethyl popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1971
- Peak year (1915)
- 92
- Annual births at peak, across 92 years of records
Ethyl by decade
1910s is the heaviest window (654 births, 27% of the file).
1910s was Ethyl's strongest decade.
654 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Ethyl births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 151
1880s
151 births
- 1890s
1890s
344 births
- 1900s
1900s
319 births
- 1910s
1910s
654 births
- 1920s
1920s
474 births
- 1930s 209
1930s
209 births
- 1940s 151
1940s
151 births
- 1950s 77
1950s
77 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 654 births (27% of all-time use).
How Ethyl 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 Ethyl's total volume
Ethyl by state
Where Ethyl concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 93 | 3.9% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 42 | 1.8% |
| #3 | New York | | 34 | 1.4% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 27 | 1.1% |
| #5 | Texas | | 21 | 0.9% |
| #6 | California | | 10 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 6 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Minnesota | | 6 | 0.3% |
93 of 2,395 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 13 reporting states.
Ethyl appears in 13 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ethyl? ▼
Where does Ethyl sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Ethyl most popular? ▼
Where is Ethyl most popular? ▼
How long has the name Ethyl been used? ▼
What names are similar to Ethyl? ▼
What to do with Ethyl's data
- Ethyl's decade-level peak was the 1910s (654 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Ethyls (93 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ethyl
Nearby Names Like Ethyl
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ethyl
Compare Ethyl side by side: Ethyl vs Ethel Ethyl vs Ethelyn Ethyl vs Ethelene
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ethyl: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1915)
Similar record span (~91 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1880–1971 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Ethyl 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 August 2026.