[name]Ethel[/name]. It’s consonant heavy, abrupt, old-ladyish…but could it be cute on a baby girl? The “L” sound is in, and it seems like the “th” sound is up and coming. Her best friend [name]Lucy[/name] is super popular. So why not [name]Ethel[/name]? I [name]LOVE[/name] this name and it seems like old is new, but is it too soon for [name]Ethel[/name]? [name]Do[/name] you love it, like it, hate it, abhor it?
This is for discussion purposes, so no worries about hurting my feelings. 
I like it… but then, I also like [name]Edith[/name] a lot, and [name]Enid[/name] as well. I’m not sure I represent a good cross section of folks out there…
I love [name]Ethel[/name]!! And I do think it’s ready for a come back. I know that it’s old fashioned, but when I hear it I don’t think it’s clunky, you know? I can totally picture it on a little girl. I think it’s quite refreshing to be honest! 
I like [name]Ethel[/name] a lot. I hope it makes a comeback because it’s one of those what’s-old-is-new kind of names. Thumbs up!
I dont like it, i do not like the sound or how it looks…
I love [name]Ethel[/name] but only because I have a dear friend named [name]Ethel[/name]. For me it represents someone with a lot of character, who is kind and good humored. For today’s naming purposes though, I feel it’s better used as a middle name.
I think it’s horribly ugly and frumpy and not ready to be revived, but even so I’d a million times rather see an [name]Ethel[/name] than a [name]Nevaeh[/name]/Madicyn/[name]Charleigh[/name]. It also reminds me of ethyl, as in ethyl alcohol.
Hmmm,while personally i do not much care for [name]Ethel[/name], i think it maye be able to make a comeback soon!
Thanks for the feedback! I’m actually really surprised because I thought there would be more people that hated it than liked it. I guess it’s a nameberry thing. I’m sure the majority of the population isn’t ready for it yet. And LOL@ irisrose–I totally know what you mean because I feel that way about a lot of names. At least [name]Ethel[/name] isn’t trendeigh!
I think it’s one of those names you either love or hate. Those names fascinate me, because it’s unlikely that they would become popular (in this case again), but could end up being really fashionable and unexpected on the right person.
I’ve always loved girl names end in an ‘ll’ or ‘L’ sound, my favorites being [name]Mabel[/name], [name]Sable[/name], [name]Laurel[/name] and [name]Adele[/name]. I have always like the soft sound of [name]Ethel[/name] (I also became a fan of [name]Etheline[/name] after the [name]Royal[/name] tenenbaums).
[name]Even[/name] though I like it may be better for the middle name slot.
I do like older names myself but I think what makes them sound usable are nicknames (like [name]Addy[/name] for [name]Adele[/name]) and [name]Ethel[/name] doesn’t have any nicknames at all. It was also very popular, more obscure ‘old lady’ names can sound Jaunty while with more common ones everyone seems to know an older lady with that name they associate it with. (Why I think [name]Etheline[/name] might be more well received in that “I never heard that name before” way.)
So [name]Ethel[/name] definitely still has some frump associated with it but I think it actually ranks low on the scale compared to other names like [name]Gladys[/name] or [name]Muriel[/name]. I actually think it can make a comeback in ten years or so. Right the now hard L sound is really popular with the -Elles and -Belles. But when all those [name]Elle[/name]/[name]Ella[/name]/[name]Belle[/name]/[name]Bella[/name] names begin to die down people might start looking at names with a softer ‘yl’ sound.
I like it. When I see it I think of names like [name]Edith[/name], [name]Hazel[/name], [name]Mabel[/name]…
I actually love it, but I would never dare say so outside Nameberry.
A few weeks ago I would have probably said go for it, but then I met a little girl named [name]Ester[/name] and it didn’t fit. This little girl didn’t at all suit [name]Ester[/name], it seemed to staid and stuffy… I just fear that [name]Ethel[/name] may be in the same boat as [name]Ester[/name].
I don’t really like it that much. It still feels too frumpy for me, probably because it lacks a nickname to soften it up. For example I really like [name]Edith[/name] because [name]Edie[/name] is really awesome and accessible. However I don’t think [name]Ethel[/name] is the worst idea in the world. While I don’t feel it’s ready it could get a revival.