Ethan in Cursive

Before you start, here is what is in the name. These facts come from the letters themselves, using the same school-style cursive model as the drawing above.

Ethan is written with 5 letters: E, t, h, a, n. The picture shows each different letter on its own, with the shape to aim for. The table below it lists every join in order, so you can see where the pen has to travel between letters.

The joins, one by one

A join is the connecting stroke between two letters. Where it starts depends on the letter you just finished, and where it ends depends on the letter coming next. This table follows the school-style model used for the drawings on this site; some programs use slightly different joins.

The capital E

The capital E is two stacked curves with a small loop between them, like a backward 3. Finish the lower curve on the baseline so it flows into the t. The E is the same shape in Ethan as in Emma and Emily, so if you have practised either, the first letter will feel familiar.

t and h: two tall letters

The t is a short tall letter: its stem reaches just above the middle line but not the top. The h that follows is a full tall letter that reaches the top line. Beginners often make the t as tall as the h, and the pair loses its rhythm. Keep the t about one and a half times the height of a small letter, and let the h loop climb to the top line.

The rising join from h to a

The h ends at the baseline, and the a starts at the middle line. The connector between them climbs, so there is a short upward stroke that must curve into the oval of the a. If you flatten it, the a will look detached. Write ha on its own ten times to train the climb.

These are the slips that show up most often with this name. Check your own lines against the list before you move on.

• Making the t as tall as the h.
• Crossing the t too early, which breaks the flow of the name.
• Leaving the a open, so it looks like a u.
• Uneven humps on the final n.

Ethan is a good first name for a beginner because it has one capital and four simple letters. Write th ten times, then han ten times, then the whole name. Add the crossbar to the t only after each full name, so the pen does not stop in the middle of a word. When the name is steady, write it at half size to check that the h loop stays open.

The one-page PDF has the name once in black as a model, two grey rows to trace, a blank ruled row and the short forms of Ethan to trace underneath. It prints on Letter or A4. For another name or a full class set, use the worksheet generator, and for blank ruled paper see cursive lined paper.

Ethen is an alternative spelling and Eitan is the Hebrew form of the name. Both are four or five letters and keep the E and the n. Eitan adds an i and replaces the h with a second vowel, so it has no tall h and a very different silhouette from Ethan.

Ethan comes from a Hebrew name usually glossed as firm, enduring or long-lived. In the Hebrew Bible, Ethan the Ezrahite is credited with Psalm 89, and the name appears elsewhere in the text. It reached English-speaking countries through the Bible and rose in popularity in the late twentieth century.

Because the name is short and clean, it is often used as a practice word in classrooms. The E, t, h, a, n letters cover two tall letters, one round letter and one hump letter.