How old is someone named Ethel?
The average Ethel is 76 years old.
Half of all living Ethels are between 69 and 85.
When was Ethel popular?
Ethel peaked in 1918 and has been given less and less ever since. Only 34 babies got the name in 2025.
Popular names of 1918 · The most popular names of the 1910s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 35,049 | 0 |
| 1910s | 63,949 | under 100 |
| 1920s | 63,144 | 960 |
| 1930s | 31,861 | 6,400 |
| 1940s | 20,688 | 11,000 |
| 1950s | 11,600 | 8,900 |
| 1960s | 4,721 | 4,100 |
| 1970s | 1,499 | 1,400 |
| 1980s | 547 | 530 |
| 1990s | 272 | 270 |
| 2000s | 187 | 190 |
| 2010s | 198 | 200 |
| 2020s | 165 | 170 |
How many Ethels are still alive?
About 35,000 Ethels are alive in the US today. That's 12% of the roughly 280,000 babies named Ethel since 1880.
Most Ethels ever born have died: the name was most popular in 1918, long enough ago that many of those babies are gone.
What generation is the name Ethel?
About half of living Ethels are Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964.
Is Ethel an old name?
Yes. Ethel is older than 100 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Is Ethel a boy or girl name?
Almost entirely girls: 99.6% of living Ethels are women.
Names the same age as Ethel
NAME TWIN
Ethel's name twin is Betty. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Betty's age curve is the closest match to Ethel's: 96% alike.
Compare: Ethel vs. Edith
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Questions about the name Ethel
How old is the average Ethel?
The average Ethel in the US is 76 years old. The median is 78, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Ethel?
About 35,000 Ethels are alive in the US today, out of roughly 280,000 babies given the name since 1880.
When was the name Ethel most popular?
In 1918, when about 8,100 baby girls were named Ethel.
Is Ethel a Boomer name?
Partly. Baby Boomers are the largest group, about 48% of living Ethels, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this