# Ethel

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈɛθɪl/ · frequency rank #18,817

## Definitions
1. A female given name from Old English, popular at the turn of the 20th century.
2. A number of places in the United States:
3. A number of places in the United States:
4. A number of places in the United States:
5. A number of places in the United States:
6. A number of places in the United States:
7. A number of places in the United States:
8. A number of places in the United States:
9. A number of places in the United States:
10. A number of places in the United States:
11. A hamlet in Huron County, Ontario, Canada.

## Etymology
Short form of names of Old English origin beginning with Ethel-, æþele (“noble”). First used in the 19th century. Cognate to the Germanic Adela and Adele.

## Easily confused with
- **excel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ethel-vs-excel)
- **ethic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ethel-vs-ethic)
- **ether** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ethel-vs-ether)
- **ethos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ethel-vs-ethos)
- **expel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ethel-vs-expel)
- **ethyl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ethel-vs-ethyl)
- **eel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eel-vs-ethel)
- **eth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eth-vs-ethel)
- **Ethan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ethan-vs-ethel)
- **easel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/easel-vs-ethel)
- **either** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/either-vs-ethel)
- **Esther** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/esther-vs-ethel)
- **etched** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/etched-vs-ethel)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ehtel`, `etehl`, `ethell`, `ethhel`, `ethle`, `etthel`, `tehel`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ethel