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.
- #16,486 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 281
- born since 1888
- 1910s
- peak 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.
- #16,486 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 281 born since 1888
- 1910s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Thecla ranks #16,486 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 281 born since 1888, peaking in the 1910s.
- #16,486 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 281
- born since 1888
- 1910s
- peak decade
Thecla's 281 recorded births place it above 77.21% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by New York.
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 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
1910s is the heaviest window (96 births, 34% of the file).
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% |
5 of 281 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Thecla? ▼
Where does Thecla sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Thecla most popular? ▼
Where is Thecla most popular? ▼
How long has the name Thecla been used? ▼
What names are similar to Thecla? ▼
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
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
Compare Thecla side by side: Thecla vs Theresa Thecla vs Thelma Thecla vs Therese
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Thecla: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1917)
Similar record span (~98 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, 1888–1986 (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 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 August 2026.