Girls' name · since 1900
Aretta
Since 1900, U.S. Social Security records show 1,142 babies named Aretta, peaking in 1923. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6,839 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,142
- born since 1900
- 1920s
- peak decade
Aretta sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 1,142 recorded since 1900.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Aretta has been recorded 1,142 times among girls since 1900, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1900 to 1991.
- #6,839 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,142 born since 1900
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Aretta ranks #6,839 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,142 born since 1900, peaking in the 1920s.
- #6,839 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,142
- born since 1900
- 1920s
- peak decade
Aretta's 1,142 recorded births place it above 90.53% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by West Virginia.
Aretta's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Aretta splits its recorded history at 1940: 36% of all births land in the more recent half, 64% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1900 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1923 peak of 33 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Aretta popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1900–1991
- Peak year (1923)
- 33
- Annual births at peak, across 92 years of records
Aretta by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (272 births, 24% of the file).
1920s was Aretta's strongest decade.
272 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Aretta births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 44
1900s
44 births
- 1910s
1910s
210 births
- 1920s
1920s
272 births
- 1930s
1930s
200 births
- 1940s
1940s
149 births
- 1950s
1950s
130 births
- 1960s 93
1960s
93 births
- 1970s 33
1970s
33 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 272 births (24% of all-time use).
How Aretta 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 Aretta's total volume
Aretta by state
Where Aretta concentrates geographically, total births since 1900
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 87 | 7.6% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #4 | Texas | | 5 | 0.4% |
87 of 1,142 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Aretta's data
- Aretta's decade-level peak was the 1920s (272 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- West Virginia records the most Arettas (87 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West Virginia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Aretta
Nearby Names Like Aretta
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Aretta
Compare Aretta side by side: Aretta vs Arely Aretta vs Areli Aretta vs Aretha
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Aretta: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1923)
Similar record span (~91 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, 1900–1991 (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 Aretta 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.