Total births
621
Girls' name · since 1895
Rhetta
Since 1895, U.S. Social Security records show 621 babies named Rhetta, peaking in 1941. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7986
- among girls today
- 621
- born since 1895
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Rhetta is the #7986 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 621 recorded since 1895.
Social Security Administration records show Rhetta recorded 621 times among girls since 1895, holding rank #7986 nationally today, ahead of 55% of girls, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1895 to 2025.
- #7986 among girls today
- 621 born since 1895
- 1940s peak decade
- 55% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rhetta is currently the #7986 girls' name in America, more common than 55% of girls - 621 born since 1895, peaking in the 1940s.
- #7986
- among girls today
- 621
- born since 1895
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 55%
- more common than other girls
Rhetta vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7986
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 55% of names given to girls today.
1940s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Rhetta was born in this single decade.
1941
Single peak year
18 babies were named Rhetta in 1941 - its busiest year on record.
How Rhetta compares
621 Top 40% higher than 60% 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
Rhetta's all-time total is 63% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rhetta | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 621 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 18 | 48 | 19,840 |
Rhetta's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Rhetta's full recorded timeline at 1950, 51% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 49% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1895, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1941 peak of 18 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Rhetta at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1941
Current rank
#7,986
Active since
1895
Rhetta popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1895–2025
- Peak year (1941)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 131 years of records
Rhetta by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Rhetta's strongest decade.
135 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Rhetta births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 10
1890s
10 births
- 1900s 10
1900s
10 births
- 1910s 42
1910s
42 births
- 1920s 40
1920s
40 births
- 1930s
1930s
68 births
- 1940s
1940s
135 births
- 1950s
1950s
124 births
- 1960s
1960s
83 births
- 1970s 37
1970s
37 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
- 1990s 10
1990s
10 births
- 2000s 6
2000s
6 births
- 2010s 18
2010s
18 births
- 2020s 32
2020s
32 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 135 births (22% of all-time use).
How Rhetta 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 Rhetta's total volume
Rhetta vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Rhetta by state
Where Rhetta concentrates geographically, total births since 1895
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 5 | 0.8% |
Texas share of Rhetta's total US births 0.8%
5 of 621 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rhetta? ▼
Since 1895, Social Security records show 621 babies named Rhetta. Today it holds rank #7986 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1941, with 18 births.
When was Rhetta most popular? ▼
Rhetta was most popular in the 1940s decade with 135 total births. The single peak year was 1941.
Where is Rhetta most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rhetta are Texas (5 births).
How long has the name Rhetta been used? ▼
Rhetta has been recorded in Social Security data since 1895, spanning 131 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Rhetta? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rhea, Rheanna, Rhema, Rheba, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Rhetta's data
- Rhetta's decade-level peak was the 1940s (135 total births); usage has since declined to 32 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Rhettas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Rhetta
Nearby Names Like Rhetta
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rhetta
Rhea Girl
#614 19,737 births
Rheanna Girl
1,778 births
Rhema Girl
#2089 1,270 births
Rheba Girl
1,207 births
Rheta Girl
1,200 births
Compare Rhetta side by side: Rhetta vs Rhea Rhetta vs Rheanna Rhetta vs Rhema
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rhetta
Herlinda #7985
4,410 births · Peak 1952
Thyra #7987
1,320 births · Peak 1918
Teresita #7984
3,376 births · Peak 1962
Leanora #7988
1,469 births · Peak 1927
Hazell #7983
375 births · Peak 2016
Billy #7989
5,432 births · Peak 1930
Katherina #7982
1,683 births · Peak 1991
Maryalice #7990
2,500 births · Peak 1947
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, 1895–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rhetta: #7986 Girls' Name - 621 Births, Peak 1941." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rhetta. 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 Rhetta 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.