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.
- #2,369 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 5,656
- born since 1900
- 1960s
- peak 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.
- #2,369 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 5,656 born since 1900
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Aretha ranks #2,369 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 5,656 born since 1900, peaking in the 1960s.
- #2,369 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 5,656
- born since 1900
- 1960s
- peak decade
Aretha's 5,656 recorded births place it above 96.72% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
28 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Georgia.
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 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
1960s is the heaviest window (2,008 births, 36% of the file).
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 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% |
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? ▼
Where does Aretha sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Aretha most popular? ▼
Where is Aretha most popular? ▼
How long has the name Aretha been used? ▼
What names are similar to Aretha? ▼
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
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
Compare Aretha side by side: Aretha vs Arely Aretha vs Areli Aretha vs Aretta
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Aretha: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1968)
Similar record span (~123 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.