[name_m]How[/name_m] would you honor an [name_f]Ethel[/name_f]? We’re considering using my grandmother’s name for our third daughter ([name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]) and it might be nice to honor my husband’s grandmother in the middle spot. But…her name is [name_f]Ethel[/name_f]. Eek! Any alternatives? All I can come up with is [name_f]Elle[/name_f], to mimic the “-ll” sound.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] [name_f]Etta[/name_f]?
[name_f]Adele[/name_f], [name_f]Adela[/name_f], and [name_f]Alina[/name_f] are related names from other languages. You might also find a name with the same meaning as [name_f]Ethel[/name_f] - “noble”.
It’s a shame you don’t like [name_f]Ethel[/name_f]. I think it’s sweet. [name_f]Elle[/name_f] is a good idea. Perhaps her surname or middle name is usable?
I think these could work:
[name_f]Edith[/name_f]
[name_f]Elsie[/name_f]
[name_f]Elspeth[/name_f]
[name_f]Esther[/name_f]
[name_u]Ellery[/name_u]
[name_f]Eartha[/name_f]
[name_u]Evelyn[/name_u]
I personally find [name_f]Ethel[/name_f] a lovely name, pretty and quietly starry-eyed and romantic, but if you do not want to use it, how about [name_f]Audrey[/name_f]? It arose as the Medieval vernacular form of Etheldred. Or else you could consider [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Alicia[/name_f], [name_f]Alison[/name_f] et all, which are distantly related names, or [name_f]Adele[/name_f] and [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] for something a bit closer.
[name_f]Etta[/name_f] is my suggestion as well.
I know two little [name_f]Ethel[/name_f]'s who have been born recently! One goes by [name_f]Etta[/name_f] and the other by [name_f]Ettie[/name_f] 
All the [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] names have the same meaning, this includes [name_f]Alice[/name_f], [name_f]Adele[/name_f], [name_f]Elke[/name_f], [name_f]Heidi[/name_f] and a fair share of others.
[name_m]Noble[/name_m] would make a gorgeous middle though, and is probably the one I would go for ^^