British Baby Names

Name of the Week: Ethel

 

 

Origin:

Ethel derives from the Old English æðel "noble" which was a common element in Anglo-Saxon names such as Æðelþryð (Etheldred), Æðelflæd (Ethelfleda), Æðelfrið (Elfrida), Æðelind (Ethelinda), Æðelberht (Ethelbert), Æðelmær (Ethelmer), Æðelræd (Ethelred), Æðelric (Ethelric), Æðelstan (Ethelstan), Æthelweard (Ethelward) and Æðelwine (Ethelwin).  Ethel itself was not used as an independent name initially, but arose as a short form for those names beginning with Ethel, especially Etheldred (æðel + þryð "strength") which became popular thanks to the veneration of 7th century princess St Etheldred.

Usage:

Due to the popularity of the saint, Etheldred (often found in the vernacular form Audrey) was used through the Middle Ages into the early modern period. The name was used moderately and quite consistently over that time in England, though was rare in Wales and Scotland. Other Ethel- names such as Ethelbert and Ethelburg also survived in use, though were not as common.  Burial record of Ethel Devenish, Langton Herring, Dorset, 1699 Ethel alone can be found in parish records in the 17th century, though it is difficult to tell whether these were listed simply as short forms for Etheldred et al (see image right).  The late 18th century obsession with Gothic fiction and architecture particularly brought the Ethel- names back into the spotlight, and, with it, Ethel itself also grew more common.  At first, Ethel on its own was quite rare -- you were more likely to meet a baby Ethelinda, Etheldreda or Ethelbert in 1840 than a baby Ethel -- but it got a wider exposure in 1855 with the publication of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel The Newcomes in which the main female character was called Ethel Newcome.  We certainly know that this influenced some parents in the naming of Ethel: actress Ethel Barrymore (1879–1959) was named after Ethel Newcombe, her father's favourite literary character.  Thackeray's novel was followed in 1856 by Charlotte Mary Yonge's The Daisy Chain, whose heroine was Etheldred "Ethel" May.  The impact of these literary characters can be seen in birth records for Ethel in England and Wales: Data from the Surname Atlas 1838: 5 births 1839: 1 birth 1840: 0 births 1841: 1 birth 1842: 1 birth 1843: 1 birth 1844: 2 births 1845: 5 births 1846: 6 births 1847: 3 births 1848: 7 births 1849: 12 births 1850: 4 births 1851: 10 births 1852: 7 births 1853: 10 births 1854: 18 births 1855: 51 births 1856: 49 births 1857: 69 births 1858: 86 births By 1860, Ethel ranked #117 with 132 births. By 1870 it had risen to #56 (1069 births) and then further to #13 (8140 births) in 1880 and #7 (14486 births) in 1890.  It was most common in southern England, and quite popular in northern England and South Wales, but was much less common in Scotland where it only reached #45 in 1900 compared to its #9 rank in England and Wales.  Indeed, from 1974 to 2014, Ethel has only ranked seven times: once in 1975, 1979, 1987, 2006 and 2011; and twice in 1977 and 1978.  click to enlarge By 1914, Ethel was still #19 in England and Wales but began to decline afterwards -- #38 by 1924 and #91 in 1934, after which it fell out of the top 100.  As with all "it" names of a generation, Ethel became typified as a turn-of-the-century name, meaning that by the 1950s it was in "middle-aged aunt" territory, and by the 1980s was firmly a "grandma" name.  In the last 20 years, Ethel has been consistently below the top 1000 in England and Wales. It did see a slight rise after 2010, peaking in 2013 at 2460 (10 births).  This followed the revelation in January 2012 that Lily Allen had named her second daughter Ethel Mary which gave the name a bit of fashionable exposure.  In 2014, Ethel ranked #3514 with 6 births.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Dame Ethel Smyth (1858–1944), English composer and women's suffrage leader. * Ethel Bentham (1861–1931), British doctor, politician and suffragette. * Ethel Lilian Voynich (1864–1960), English novelist and musician. * Ethel Turner (1872–1958), Australian novelist and children's writer. * Ethel Benjamin (1875–1943), New Zealand's first female lawyer. * Ethel Barrymore (1879–1959), American stage and screen actress. * Ethel Clayton (1882–1966), American silent film actress. * Ethel Anderson (1883–1958), Australian poet, essayist, novelist and painter. * Ethel Roosevelt Derby (1891–1977), younger daughter of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. * Ethel Merman (1908–1984), American actress and singer. Literature and Other Media: * Ethel Newcome, character in William Makepeace Thackeray's novel The Newcomes (1855). * Etheldred "Ethel" May, a character in Charlotte Mary Yonge's novel The Daisy Chain (1856). * Ethel Hallow, character in The Worst Witch book series by Jill Murphy.

Variants:

Ethelle

Pronunciation:

ETH-əl [key]

Possible  diminutive:

Ettie, Ethie, Elle

Sibling Names:

Vera     Sybil     Agnes     Myrtle     Edith     Mabel  Giles    Wilbur    Percy     Walter     Lloyd     Clifford

Name Lists:

Funky-Clunky Names   Victorian Darlings   Names of Roses

 

If you like Ethel you may also like:   Blythe, Enid, Thora, Betty, Dora, Tilda, Rita, Thelma, Dorothy, Delyth

 

Thanks to Jess for requesting this post. 

'Twas Ever Thus: A meaning beyond etymology

Anyone who read the Name of the Week post on Venetia may remember mention of actress Venetia Stephenson, a celebrity baby of her day, daughter of actress Anna Lee, whose birth in 1838 was widely publicised. 

Her full name was Joanna Venetia Invicta, and here, in an interview with The Daily Mirror, father Robert Stevenson explains the name choice — particularly her unusual third name — and it's really rather heartwarming. 

 

THEY SAY SHE WAS NAMED     AFTER A STEAM ROLLER .    Joanna Venetia Invicta, that's the name of the ten-month-old daughter of film star Anna Lee and her producer husband, Robert Stevenson.    "Joanna is my wife's name," Mr. Stevenson told the "Daily Mirror." "And Venetia is a family name. We always intended to give the baby those names if it were a girl.    "Invicta―well, that's different. My wife was born in Kent, and we wanted something to suggest the Kent countryside. Invicta is the motto on the Kent coat-of-arms.     "Our friends always joke about Invicta and ask if the baby was named after the steam-rollers — because they all carry that name on front.    "Of course, Invicta has another meaning— unbeatable. We had that in mind, too," he added proudly.     She's an unbeatable baby, too, don't you think?                                                       The Daily Mirror                                                       11 January 1939

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Finds from 1870

With William Ewart Gladstone still Prime Minister, 1870 saw the first ever international football match of England vs Scotland, the death of Charles Dickens, and the establishment of the British Red Cross. 

Below is a selection of names from the GRO Birth Records for England and Wales in 1870. All are first names and middle names — the surnames are not included unless indicated by 'sn' — and have been checked against other records for accuracy.

Achatus John Adamson Stephenson Agnesius Joseph Albemarle James Albertus Frederic G. Alfred Cincinnatus Arch Adolphus Archelius Heber Artemus Cyril Axel Walter Bloom David Captain Victor Emile Cephas Cornelius Champion Horace Collingwood Lowne Constantine Hortalus Disraeli Stanley Ebenezer Octavius Eardley Wilmot Earl Cromwell Egerton Decimus Epaminondas Errington Thomas Estcourt Coxwell Henry Ethelbert Theophilus Eusebius Parmenas Felix Hyppolite Golden Samuel Goldwin Syfaddan Greenup Moorsom Gustave Leslie Haydn Eugene Hedley Omer Henry Archippus Hickford Francis Highland Willie Hildebrand Horace Gates Horace Adiel Hosiah Augustus Idwal Moses Inocencio Frederick Ithel Arthur Lockington Reginald Ludolph Frederick Ludovic Godfrey Lushington Loftis Molyneux Edward Montalembert Eugene Monte-Cristo Thomas Nabonassar Napoleon Bonaparte Neathway Beverley Nelson Horatio Nimrod Vincent Ninian Slight Oldham Graham Omri Edward One Too Many Original Robert Orithea Frederick Orpheus Vincent Osmond Thomas Othello Douglas Parmenas Kent Philange Stanislaus Pickup Plasidus John Prince Joe Prince Percy (sn: Peck) Pythagoras Radulphe Lodovic Marcellin Randolph St Stephen Spiers Rudolph Augustus Senior Littlewood Singleton Jethro St. Cyr Dacher Swan Watson Sydenham John Temple Lovegrove Theodore Thrasybulus Trehawke George Walter Truelove Ulick Lionel Utah Rudd Vaurien Frederic Herbert Yearly Alfred Jacobs Zoffany Graham

Aaronette Adelaide Ada Zitella Adamantine Louisa Afie Marica Agnes Clio Aholibamah Maria America Aurora Gilbertine Avesia Mary Aylmer Adela Mawdistly Best Britannia Christina Britomart Carline Emma Charlotte Varina Cherry Letitia Chloris Evelyn Cordelia Ariadne Eugenie Electra Cordelia Theophila Cornell Clara Crystaline Alice Dionis Rachel Easida Effadora Annielora Effield Matilda Egidia Sophia Frederica Christina Esmé Theodora Ethel Florinella Ethelberta Adeliza H Ethelfleda Martha E Ettyanna Amelia Eufimia Chariklia Evelyn Euphrasia Everilda Selina Jane Eweretta Margaretta Florence Australia Fossinia Maud Gilberta Sophia Gustafva Angenetta Hebe Clementina Hensarina Rebecca Hughina Monro Indietta Izet Jane Kezia Kerenhappuch Jemima Priscilla Louie Clementina Rose Ethel Luckie Amelia Madgie Georgiana Fanny Margaret Ephraimina Mary Ursulina Meditation Julia Medona Elvina Medora Charlotte Megara Maude Millicent Jesuina Zillah Muriel Zeyneb Myra Sabina Myrtle Georgiana Olinda Rosina Oliff Charlotte Orange Ingersent Parepa Rosa -- probably named after the opera singer. Pascaline Maria Pauline Polymnie Penninah Charity Pleasant Penelope Plina Elizabeth Prima Donna Charlotte Regina Modwena Robinetta Hall Ruby Felizarda Mabel Rubysella Sappho Mildred Sidney Clara Sidwell Emma Sophia Castalia Mary Titsey Lydia M. Trinitia Sarah Ursley Alice Uzetta Maria Verbena Maud Virtue Harriet Yetta Leah Zana Leonora Zenoby Clara Zuleine Maria

For a look back at previous years' "Finds from" posts, click on the category links below ↓