Total births
4,139
Girls' name · since 1881
Gretta
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 4,139 babies named Gretta, peaking in 1966. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4391
- among girls today
- 4,139
- born since 1881
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 75%
- more common than other girls
4,139 babies have been named Gretta since 1881, making it today's #4391 girls' name.
Gretta has 4,139 recorded births among girls since 1881, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4391 as of the latest data, more common than 75% of girls, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #4391 among girls today
- 4,139 born since 1881
- 2010s peak decade
- 75% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gretta is currently the #4391 girls' name in America, more common than 75% of girls - 4,139 born since 1881, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4391
- among girls today
- 4,139
- born since 1881
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 75%
- more common than other girls
Gretta vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#4391
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 75% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Gretta was born in this single decade.
1966
Single peak year
100 babies were named Gretta in 1966 - its busiest year on record.
How Gretta compares
4,139 Top 15% higher than 85% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Gretta's all-time total is 11x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gretta | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,139 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 100 | 48 | 19,840 |
Gretta's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gretta's SSA record in two at 1955 and the more recent half accounts for 62% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 38%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1966 peak of 100, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gretta at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1966
Current rank
#4,391
Active since
1881
Gretta popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1966)
- 100
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Gretta by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Gretta's strongest decade.
543 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Gretta births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 38
1880s
38 births
- 1890s 98
1890s
98 births
- 1900s 110
1900s
110 births
- 1910s 206
1910s
206 births
- 1920s
1920s
260 births
- 1930s
1930s
389 births
- 1940s
1940s
315 births
- 1950s
1950s
314 births
- 1960s
1960s
491 births
- 1970s
1970s
337 births
- 1980s 193
1980s
193 births
- 1990s
1990s
234 births
- 2000s
2000s
423 births
- 2010s
2010s
543 births
- 2020s 188
2020s
188 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 543 births (13% of all-time use).
How Gretta 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 Gretta's total volume
Gretta vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Gretta by state
Where Gretta concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 132 | 3.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 103 | 2.5% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 65 | 1.6% |
| #4 | California | | 55 | 1.3% |
| #5 | Wisconsin | | 44 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 38 | 0.9% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 31 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 29 | 0.7% |
Minnesota share of Gretta's total US births 3.2%
Even split
132 of 4,139 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Gretta appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gretta? ▼
Since 1881, Social Security records show 4,139 babies named Gretta. Today it holds rank #4391 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1966, with 100 births.
When was Gretta most popular? ▼
Gretta was most popular in the 2010s decade with 543 total births. The single peak year was 1966.
Where is Gretta most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gretta are Minnesota (132 births), Texas (103 births), Pennsylvania (65 births).
How long has the name Gretta been used? ▼
Records for Gretta go back to 1881, giving 145 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Gretta? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gretchen, Greta, Grecia, Greer, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Gretta's data
- Gretta's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (543 total births) through the 2020s (188) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Minnesota records the most Grettas (132 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota 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 Gretta
Nearby Names Like Gretta
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gretta
Gretchen Girl
#3463 53,799 births
Greta Girl
#861 27,786 births
Grecia Girl
#1159 6,318 births
Greer Girl
#1987 3,085 births
Gregory Girl
2,860 births
Compare Gretta side by side: Gretta vs Gretchen Gretta vs Greta Gretta vs Grecia
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gretta
Zenobia #4390
4,592 births · Peak 1923
Christian #4392
19,875 births · Peak 1992
Sammie #4389
7,833 births · Peak 1943
Nada #4393
5,129 births · Peak 2000
Maybelle #4388
6,366 births · Peak 1918
Zephyr #4394
695 births · Peak 2020
Lucile #4387
34,887 births · Peak 1917
Kyle #4395
8,933 births · Peak 1987
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, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gretta: #4391 Girls' Name - 4,139 Births, Peak 1966." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gretta. 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 Gretta 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.