Ethelda
Every Ethelda since 1910 — 396 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ethelda
Ethelda is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1910, 396 American babies have been named Ethelda. Its peak came in 1920, when 37 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ethelda stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ethelda year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | 6 | #4,910 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,304 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,415 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,530 |
| 1920 | 37 | #1,260 |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,231 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Ethelda
- Ethelda Bleibtrey Swimmer · 1902–1978
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Ethelda in 2025?
Ethelda did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Ethelda?
396 babies have been named Ethelda in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ethelda most popular?
Ethelda peaked in 1920, when 37 newborns received the name.
Is Ethelda a boy or girl name?
Ethelda is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ethelda rising or falling?
Ethelda has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ethelda?
Well-known people named Ethelda include Ethelda Bleibtrey (swimmer).