Ethelda as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ethelda

What is the meaning of the name Ethelda ?

The baby name Ethelda is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced ETH-el-da; IPA: /ˈɛθəldə/.

Ethelda is English in Origin.

Ethelda is an English feminine given name, a contracted form of Etheldreda/Ethelreda, which trace back to the Old English Æthelthryth (æthel “noble” + þryð “strength, vigor”). The name belonged to a revered seventh-century abbess and Anglo-Saxon royal, better known as St. Etheldreda (Audrey) of Ely. It therefore carries the meaning “noble strength.” The same source yielded the medieval forms Awdrey/Audrey through Norman-French transmission, while Ethel arose later as a clipped Victorian favorite from the æthel element.

In records the fuller spellings dominate medieval usage; Ethelda surfaces mainly from the nineteenth century onward and has remained rare. A notable bearer is Ethelda Bleibtrey, the American swimmer who won three gold medals at the 1920 Olympics. Related variants and diminutives include Etheldreda, Ethelreda, Eldreda, Aldreda, Audrey, and Ethel; possible nicknames are Ettie, Thel, and Thelda. Its saintly associations link it to Ely and medieval English devotion.

⚙ Ethelda is vanishingly rare. We hold just 11 recorded uses of it, from 7 countries.