Gretchen

#4,265 for girls in 2025, 33 births · Last seen for boys in 1980 at #5,525
Given to girls 99.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1973 · 1,351 births
Debut · girls
10 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
53,799
since 1882

Gretchen over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Gretchen has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201948peak #191, 1973girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#4,26533—
2024#3,45945—
2023#2,67465—
2022#3,12352—
2021#2,78461—
2020#2,59765—
2019#2,48271—
2018#2,02696—
2017#1,752120—
2016#1,380170—
2015#1,425162—
2014#1,261191—
2013#1,184203—
2012#1,206203—
2011#1,054234—
2010#1,101226—
2009#998265—
2008#953283—
2007#883316—
2006#777355—
2005#762349—
2004#886275—
2003#782316—
2002#812285—
2001#763313—
2000#743310—
1999#745301—
1998#747290—
1997#752283—
1996#722290—
1995#722283—
1994#738281—
1993#682320—
1992#683317—
1991#596377—
1990#628356—
1989#534430—
1988#588344—
1987#559359—
1986#512405—
1985#470451—
1984#404524—
1983#374596—
1982#325747—
1981#276895—
1980#271917#5,5256
1979#262930—
1978#251947—
1977#2381,044—
1976#1981,223—
1975#2091,175#3,6599
1974#1991,278#3,8378
1973#1911,351—
1972#2211,261—
1971#2241,347—
1970#2511,244#4,7245
1969#2631,106—
1968#293887—
1967#271968—
1966#269960—
1965#295906—
1964#294974—
1963#299962—
1962#2891,001—
1961#2851,044—
1960#306937—
1959#333812#3,9885
1958#350687—
1957#381565#3,9935
1956#369567—
1955#366575—
1954#367563—
1953#351578—
1952#342583—
1951#318618—
1950#329545—
1949#316608—
1948#303640—
1947#332570—
1946#309567—
1945#308493—
1944#302490—
1943#332448—
1942#321464—
1941#310441—
1940#289471—
1939#298420—
1938#285483—
1937#334350—
1936#362303—
1935#363301—
1934#372288—
1933#414240—
1932#430233—
1931#459198—
1930#500178—
1929#556152—
1928#520177—
1927#594142—
1926#593143—
1925#605144—
1924#669123—
1923#593149—
1922#588149—
1921#603144—
1920#625131—
1919#619128—
1918#523176—
1917#402246—
1916#357296—
1915#351288—
1914#380196—
1913#384158—
1912#397134—
1911#45980—
1910#40395—
1909#46366—
1908#46460—
1907#52147—
1906#45855—
1905#52842—
1904#49344—
1903#51439—
1902#60030—
1901#46741—
1900#45355—
1899#48037—
1898#49139—
1897#59426—
1896#45740—
1895#49335—
1894#59724—
1893#47332—
1892#56524—
1891#43034—
1890#48329—
1889#54322—
1888#59318—
1887#56016—
1886#69311—
1885#1,0475—
1884#9306—
1883#7547—
1882#59610—
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1882

The first year at least five girls were named Gretchen! It came in at #596, and was given to 10 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1883–1885, when fewer than 8 girls a year got the name.

Where Gretchen is popular in 1948

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNHWashington: #128 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 620 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #164 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 1,229 girlsMNIllinois: #296 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 3,103 girlsILWisconsin: #154 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 1,198 girlsWIMichigan: #231 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 2,172 girlsMINew York: #270 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 2,570 girlsNYMassachusetts: #164 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 1,436 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedRIOregon: #176 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,135 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedSDIowa: #219 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,903 girlsIAIndiana: #268 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 2,567 girlsINOhio: #186 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 1,371 girlsOHPennsylvania: #198 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 1,442 girlsPANew Jersey: #299 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,299 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #277 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 2,102 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedUTColorado: #199 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,209 girlsCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNEMissouri: #346 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,889 girlsMOKentucky: #437 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,788 girlsKYWest Virginia: #357 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,989 girlsWVVirginia: #450 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,933 girlsVAMaryland: #379 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,508 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedARTennessee: #468 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 6,332 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #444 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 5,589 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: #216 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,588 girlsDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #368 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,937 girlsLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedALGeorgia: #511 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 7,019 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedHITexas: #600 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 6,534 girlsTXFlorida: #353 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,975 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Washington#128 · 1 in 620
  2. Wisconsin#154 · 1 in 1,198
  3. Minnesota#164 · 1 in 1,229
  4. Massachusetts#164 · 1 in 1,436
  5. Oregon#176 · 1 in 1,135

Best ever in a state: #78 in Maine, 1974.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Washington#128401 in 620
Wisconsin#154301 in 1,198
Massachusetts#164321 in 1,436
Minnesota#164261 in 1,229
Oregon#176131 in 1,135
Ohio#186621 in 1,371
Pennsylvania#198721 in 1,442
Colorado#199121 in 1,209
District of Columbia#21671 in 1,588
Iowa#219141 in 1,903
Michigan#231321 in 2,172
Indiana#268161 in 2,567
New York#270551 in 2,570
California#277531 in 2,102
Illinois#296271 in 3,103
New Jersey#299131 in 3,299
Missouri#346101 in 3,889
Florida#35391 in 2,975
West Virginia#35761 in 3,989
Louisiana#368111 in 2,937
Maryland#37951 in 4,508
Kentucky#43761 in 5,788
North Carolina#44491 in 5,589
Virginia#45061 in 5,933
Tennessee#46861 in 6,332
Georgia#51161 in 7,019
Texas#600141 in 6,534
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Kansas———
Maine———
Mississippi———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Oklahoma———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Gretchen
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 806 spots since 2024 (#3,459 → #4,265)
  • 1,668 spots since 2020 (#2,597 → #4,265)
  • 2,840 spots since 2015 (#1,425 → #4,265)
  • Biggest jump: 354 spots in 1886 (#1,047 → #693)
  • Biggest drop: 176 spots in 1884 (#754 → #930)
Rise & fade · girls
91 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1882
  • Peaked 1973 at #191 (1,351 births)
  • Births halved by 1983, 10 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 127 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 127 yrs · run 1886–2009
Share of babies · girls
1 in 1,079
  • Highest: 1 in 1,079 girls born in 1973 were named Gretchen (0.09%)
  • Latest: 1 in 48,705 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1970s
  • 21.9% of all girls named Gretchen (11,800) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s95#543 (1889)#715
1890s320#430 (1891)#506
1900s479#453 (1900)#496
1910s1,797#351 (1915)#428
1920s1,454#520 (1928)#595
1930s2,994#285 (1938)#382
1940s5,192#289 (1940)#312
1950s6,093#318 (1951)#351
1960s9,745#263 (1969)#286
1970s11,800#191 (1973)#224
1980s5,668#271 (1980)#431
1990s3,098#596 (1991)#702
2000s3,067#743 (2000)#836
2010s1,676#1,054 (2011)#1,487
2020s321#2,597 (2020)#3,150

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Gretchen in 1948

girls
#303
640 births · 1 in 2,653 girls

Top girls' names in 1948

  1. #1Linda96,220
  2. #2Mary68,597
  3. #3Barbara46,826
  4. #4Patricia46,140
  5. #5Susan35,988
  6. #6Sandra31,063
  7. #7Nancy29,411
  8. #8Carol28,977
  9. #9Sharon26,143
  10. #10Kathleen23,257
  11. #303Gretchen640
More about 1948

girls

1,697,908 girls got a published name in 1948; 1 in 2,653 of them was named Gretchen, which outranked 95.0% of the 6,040 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 25.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gretchen
  1. #300Cathleen653
  2. #301Gertrude651
  3. #302Daisy646
  4. #303Gretchen640
  5. #304Bettye635
  6. #305Sharron623
  7. #306Katie622
Biggest movers since 1947
Risers
  1. ↑ 555Shawn#1,510 → #955
  2. ↑ 549Regena#1,488 → #939
  3. ↑ 491Regenia#1,255 → #764
  4. ↑ 460Mickie#1,228 → #768
  5. ↑ 413Shirleen#1,377 → #964
Fallers
  1. ↓ 408Michaele#859 → #1,267
  2. ↓ 358Marge#969 → #1,327
  3. ↓ 334Ilona#875 → #1,209
  4. ↓ 282Trudi#875 → #1,157
  5. ↓ 248Marylyn#909 → #1,157

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1948 →