Girls' name · since 1917
Rethel
88 babies named Rethel in U.S. Social Security records since 1917, with the highest year being 1920. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #28,598 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 88
- born since 1917
- 1920s
- peak decade
Rethel sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 88 recorded since 1917.
Social Security Administration records show Rethel recorded 88 times among girls since 1917, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 1956.
- #28,598 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 88 born since 1917
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rethel ranks #28,598 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 88 born since 1917, peaking in the 1920s.
- #28,598 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 88
- born since 1917
- 1920s
- peak decade
Rethel's 88 recorded births place it above 60.41% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Georgia.
Rethel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Rethel's SSA record in two at 1926 and the more recent half accounts for 49% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 51%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1917, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1920 peak of 9, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Rethel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–1956
- Peak year (1920)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 40 years of records
Rethel by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (44 births, 50% of the file).
1920s was Rethel's strongest decade.
44 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Rethel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
18 births
- 1920s
1920s
44 births
- 1930s 15
1930s
15 births
- 1950s 11
1950s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 44 births (50% of all-time use).
Rethel by state
Where Rethel concentrates geographically, total births since 1917
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 5 | 5.7% |
5 of 88 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Rethel's data
- Rethel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (44 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1950s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Georgia records the most Rethels (5 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 Rethel
Nearby Names Like Rethel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rethel
Compare Rethel side by side: Rethel vs Retha Rethel vs Reta Rethel vs Retta
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Rethel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1920)
Similar record span (~39 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, 1917–1956 (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 Rethel 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.