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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201966peak #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 1966

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedAKMaine: #244 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,543 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #129 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 584 girlsNHWashington: #210 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 972 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: #131 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 612 girlsMNIllinois: #256 for girls · 58 births · 1 in 1,517 girlsILWisconsin: #226 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,616 girlsWIMichigan: #239 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 1,471 girlsMINew York: #283 for girls · 83 births · 1 in 1,757 girlsNYMassachusetts: #201 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 1,287 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedRIOregon: #231 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,105 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: #245 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,505 girlsIAIndiana: #200 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 1,137 girlsINOhio: #245 for girls · 56 births · 1 in 1,521 girlsOHPennsylvania: #162 for girls · 103 births · 1 in 869 girlsPANew Jersey: #275 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 1,843 girlsNJConnecticut: #175 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 918 girlsCTCalifornia: #320 for girls · 83 births · 1 in 1,852 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedUTColorado: #307 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,684 girlsCONebraska: #221 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,176 girlsNEMissouri: #281 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,820 girlsMOKentucky: #339 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,759 girlsKYWest Virginia: #241 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,401 girlsWVVirginia: #298 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 2,142 girlsVAMaryland: #271 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,823 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedDEArizona: #292 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,422 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNMKansas: #165 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 716 girlsKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedARTennessee: #371 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,033 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #417 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 3,608 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #424 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,127 girlsOKLouisiana: #262 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,393 girlsLAMississippi: #500 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,900 girlsMSAlabama: #472 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,945 girlsALGeorgia: #549 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 5,526 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedHITexas: #481 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 3,534 girlsTXFlorida: #295 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,787 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. New Hampshire#129 · 1 in 584
  2. Minnesota#131 · 1 in 612
  3. Pennsylvania#162 · 1 in 869
  4. Kansas#165 · 1 in 716
  5. Connecticut#175 · 1 in 918

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New Hampshire#12981 in 584
Minnesota#131481 in 612
Pennsylvania#1621031 in 869
Kansas#165201 in 716
Connecticut#175241 in 918
Indiana#200371 in 1,137
Massachusetts#201351 in 1,287
Washington#210221 in 972
Nebraska#22191 in 1,176
Wisconsin#226221 in 1,616
Oregon#231121 in 1,105
Michigan#239501 in 1,471
West Virginia#24191 in 1,401
Maine#24451 in 1,543
Iowa#245141 in 1,505
Ohio#245561 in 1,521
Illinois#256581 in 1,517
Louisiana#262231 in 1,393
Maryland#271151 in 1,823
New Jersey#275281 in 1,843
Missouri#281191 in 1,820
New York#283831 in 1,757
Arizona#29291 in 1,422
Florida#295241 in 1,787
Virginia#298161 in 2,142
Colorado#30791 in 1,684
California#320831 in 1,852
Kentucky#33991 in 2,759
Tennessee#371101 in 3,033
North Carolina#417111 in 3,608
Oklahoma#42451 in 3,127
Alabama#47271 in 3,945
Texas#481261 in 3,534
Mississippi#50051 in 3,900
Georgia#54971 in 5,526
Alaska———
Arkansas———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
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 1966

girls
#269
960 births · 1 in 1,763 girls

Top girls' names in 1966

  1. #1Lisa56,918
  2. #2Kimberly32,232
  3. #3Mary28,890
  4. #4Michelle27,159
  5. #5Karen25,450
  6. #6Susan23,776
  7. #7Patricia20,112
  8. #8Tammy18,621
  9. #9Angela18,532
  10. #10Jennifer18,215
  11. #269Gretchen960
More about 1966

girls

1,692,177 girls got a published name in 1966; 1 in 1,763 of them was named Gretchen, which outranked 96.5% of the 7,624 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gretchen
  1. #266Leigh972
  2. #267Kari971
  3. #268Angelia966
  4. #269Gretchen960
  5. #270Alison959
  6. #271Marla957
  7. #272Lorie956
Biggest movers since 1965
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,121Tabatha#6,539 → #418
  2. ↑ 1,469Tabitha#1,993 → #524
  3. ↑ 1,325Joell#2,247 → #922
  4. ↑ 1,047Tatia#1,715 → #668
  5. ↑ 969Nichole#1,829 → #860
Fallers
  1. ↓ 398Barb#815 → #1,213
  2. ↓ 310Jewell#952 → #1,262
  3. ↓ 288Roxie#944 → #1,232
  4. ↓ 284Aretha#818 → #1,102
  5. ↓ 280Kecia#392 → #672

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

See the top 100 for 1966 →