Total births
5,656
Girls' name · since 1900
Aretha
Since 1900, U.S. Social Security records show 5,656 babies named Aretha, peaking in 1968. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 5,656
- total births
- 1900–2023
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 36%
- born in that decade
Aretha sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 5,656 recorded since 1900.
Social Security Administration records show Aretha recorded 5,656 times among girls since 1900, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1900 to 2023.
- 5,656 total births
- 1900–2023 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 36% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
5,656 girls have been named Aretha since 1900, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2023.
- 5,656
- total births
- 1900–2023
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 36%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
36% of everyone ever named Aretha was born in this single decade.
1968
Single peak year
543 babies were named Aretha in 1968 - its busiest year on record.
Aretha's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Aretha's SSA record in two at 1957 and the more recent half accounts for 73% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 27%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1900, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1968 peak of 543, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Aretha at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1968
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1900
Aretha popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1900–2023
- Peak year (1968)
- 543
- Annual births at peak, across 124 years of records
Aretha by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Aretha's strongest decade.
2,008 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Aretha births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 64
1900s
64 births
- 1910s 222
1910s
222 births
- 1920s 344
1920s
344 births
- 1930s 339
1930s
339 births
- 1940s 315
1940s
315 births
- 1950s 355
1950s
355 births
- 1960s
1960s
2,008 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,442 births
- 1980s 368
1980s
368 births
- 1990s 123
1990s
123 births
- 2000s 30
2000s
30 births
- 2010s 28
2010s
28 births
- 2020s 18
2020s
18 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 2,008 births (36% of all-time use).
How Aretha compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Aretha's total volume
Aretha vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Aretha by state
Where Aretha concentrates geographically, total births since 1900
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 328 | 5.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 292 | 5.2% |
| #3 | Mississippi | | 289 | 5.1% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 276 | 4.9% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 245 | 4.3% |
| #6 | New York | | 203 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Florida | | 173 | 3.1% |
| #8 | Virginia | | 160 | 2.8% |
Georgia share of Aretha's total US births 5.8%
Even split
328 of 5,656 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 28 reporting states.
Aretha appears in 28 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Aretha? ▼
5,656 babies have been named Aretha since 1900. It was last recorded in 2023. The peak year was 1968 with 543 births.
When was Aretha most popular? ▼
Aretha was most popular in the 1960s decade with 2,008 total births. The single peak year was 1968.
Where is Aretha most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Aretha are Georgia (328 births), Texas (292 births), Mississippi (289 births).
How long has the name Aretha been used? ▼
Records for Aretha go back to 1900, giving 124 years of history through 2023.
What names are similar to Aretha? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Arely, Areli, Aretta, Arelis, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Aretha's data
- Aretha's decade-level peak was the 1960s (2,008 total births); usage has since declined to 18 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Arethas (328 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Aretha
Nearby Names Like Aretha
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Aretha
Arely Girl
#924 11,216 births
Areli Girl
#1422 6,624 births
Aretta Girl
1,142 births
Arelis Girl
#6994 1,015 births
Areanna Girl
645 births
Compare Aretha side by side: Aretha vs Arely Aretha vs Areli Aretha vs Aretta
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Amayah #700
5,653 births · Peak 2022
Lavinia #2135
5,660 births · Peak 1921
Estefany #1549
5,660 births · Peak 2006
Carolann #12284
5,652 births · Peak 1946
Kamille #1556
5,661 births · Peak 2011
Montserrat #1463
5,669 births · Peak 2014
Cami #3246
5,671 births · Peak 1967
Edie #1744
5,672 births · Peak 1963
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1900–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Aretha: Baby Name Since 1900 - 5,656 Births, Peak 1968." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/aretha. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Aretha draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.