Total births
281
Girls' name · since 1888
Thecla
Since 1888, U.S. Social Security records show 281 babies named Thecla, peaking in 1917. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 281
- total births
- 1888–1986
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
281 girls have been named Thecla since 1888, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Thecla has been recorded 281 times among girls since 1888, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 1986.
- 281 total births
- 1888–1986 years on record
- 1910s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
281 girls have been named Thecla since 1888, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 1986.
- 281
- total births
- 1888–1986
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Thecla was born in this single decade.
1917
Single peak year
18 babies were named Thecla in 1917 - its busiest year on record.
Thecla's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Thecla's full recorded timeline at 1921, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1888, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1917 peak of 18 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Thecla at a glance
Last recorded 1986Peak year
1917
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1888
Thecla popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–1986
- Peak year (1917)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 99 years of records
Thecla by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Thecla's strongest decade.
96 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Thecla births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 19
1890s
19 births
- 1900s 27
1900s
27 births
- 1910s
1910s
96 births
- 1920s
1920s
64 births
- 1930s 31
1930s
31 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 23
1950s
23 births
- 1960s 6
1960s
6 births
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 96 births (34% of all-time use).
Thecla by state
Where Thecla concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 5 | 1.8% |
New York share of Thecla's total US births 1.8%
5 of 281 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Thecla? ▼
281 babies have been named Thecla since 1888. It was last recorded in 1986. The peak year was 1917 with 18 births.
When was Thecla most popular? ▼
Thecla was most popular in the 1910s decade with 96 total births. The single peak year was 1917.
Where is Thecla most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Thecla are New York (5 births).
How long has the name Thecla been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Thecla since 1888 -- 99 years through the most recent 1986 data.
What names are similar to Thecla? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Theresa, Thelma, Therese, Thea, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Thecla's data
- Thecla's decade-level peak was the 1910s (96 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Theclas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Thecla
Nearby Names Like Thecla
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Thecla
Theresa Girl
#1492 404,613 births
Thelma Girl
#4299 225,460 births
Therese Girl
#2180 35,590 births
Thea Girl
#349 20,113 births
Theodora Girl
#811 12,654 births
Compare Thecla side by side: Thecla vs Theresa Thecla vs Thelma Thecla vs Therese
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1888–1986 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Thecla: Baby Name Since 1888 - 281 Births, Peak 1917." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/thecla. 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 Thecla 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 July 2026.