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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201994peak #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 1994

  • 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: #570 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 3,612 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: #306 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,971 girlsMNIllinois: #506 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 3,374 girlsILWisconsin: #424 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,924 girlsWIMichigan: #562 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 4,170 girlsMINew York: #909 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 7,415 girlsNYMassachusetts: #416 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 3,075 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedRIOregon: #421 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,290 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: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedIAIndiana: #367 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 2,341 girlsINOhio: #537 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 4,312 girlsOHPennsylvania: #466 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 3,418 girlsPANew Jersey: #962 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 8,804 girlsNJConnecticut: #414 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,845 girlsCTCalifornia: #1,156 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 10,544 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNEMissouri: #368 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,472 girlsMOKentucky: #443 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,332 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedWVVirginia: #570 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 4,408 girlsVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedMDDelaware: 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: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #614 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,736 girlsLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedALGeorgia: #992 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 8,151 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedHITexas: #980 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 7,999 girlsTXFlorida: #1,277 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 12,420 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Minnesota#306 · 1 in 1,971
  2. Indiana#367 · 1 in 2,341
  3. Missouri#368 · 1 in 2,472
  4. Connecticut#414 · 1 in 2,845
  5. Massachusetts#416 · 1 in 3,075

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Minnesota#306131 in 1,971
Indiana#367141 in 2,341
Missouri#368121 in 2,472
Connecticut#41461 in 2,845
Massachusetts#416111 in 3,075
Oregon#42171 in 2,290
Wisconsin#42491 in 2,924
Kentucky#44361 in 3,332
Pennsylvania#466191 in 3,418
Illinois#506221 in 3,374
Ohio#537151 in 4,312
Michigan#562131 in 4,170
Virginia#57081 in 4,408
Washington#57081 in 3,612
Louisiana#61461 in 3,736
New York#909151 in 7,415
New Jersey#96251 in 8,804
Texas#980171 in 7,999
Georgia#99251 in 8,151
California#1,156231 in 10,544
Florida#1,27761 in 12,420
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Colorado———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Maine———
Maryland———
Mississippi———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Oklahoma———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Tennessee———
Utah———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
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 1994

girls
#738
281 births · 1 in 6,355 girls

Top girls' names in 1994

  1. #1Jessica32,122
  2. #2Ashley30,281
  3. #3Emily24,154
  4. #4Samantha22,824
  5. #5Sarah22,299
  6. #6Taylor20,734
  7. #7Brittany18,900
  8. #8Amanda18,718
  9. #9Elizabeth16,786
  10. #10Megan16,580
  11. #738Gretchen281
More about 1994

girls

1,785,753 girls got a published name in 1994; 1 in 6,355 of them was named Gretchen, which outranked 95.3% of the 15,759 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 12.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gretchen
  1. #735Shyanne284
  2. #736Kristyn282
  3. #736Yazmin282
  4. #738Gretchen281
  5. #738Brionna281
  6. #738Kacey281
  7. #738Shelly281
  8. #742Breonna280
  9. #742Daphne280
  10. #742Shakira280

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1993
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,523Nohely#5,419 → #896
  2. ↑ 4,322Aaliyah#4,524 → #202
  3. ↑ 2,306Zana#3,108 → #802
  4. ↑ 1,711Aliyah#2,068 → #357
  5. ↑ 1,430Zhane#2,012 → #582
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,015Coraima#875 → #1,890
  2. ↓ 799Kalene#929 → #1,728
  3. ↓ 656Deyanira#938 → #1,594
  4. ↓ 577Crysta#968 → #1,545
  5. ↓ 562Hilary#647 → #1,209

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

See the top 100 for 1994 →