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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201958peak #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 1958

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedAKMaine: #222 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,372 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNHWashington: #208 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 1,017 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedIDMontana: #249 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,314 girlsMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #188 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 1,079 girlsMNIllinois: #377 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 3,541 girlsILWisconsin: #247 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,064 girlsWIMichigan: #328 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 2,874 girlsMINew York: #341 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 2,827 girlsNYMassachusetts: #220 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 1,848 girlsMARhode Island: #185 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,341 girlsRIOregon: #241 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,381 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: #379 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,929 girlsIAIndiana: #412 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 4,203 girlsINOhio: #238 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 1,669 girlsOHPennsylvania: #287 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 2,273 girlsPANew Jersey: #265 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 1,981 girlsNJConnecticut: #286 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,426 girlsCTCalifornia: #377 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 2,859 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedUTColorado: #398 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,092 girlsCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedNEMissouri: #273 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,120 girlsMOKentucky: #480 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,485 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedWVVirginia: #378 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 3,404 girlsVAMaryland: #336 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,001 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: #335 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,631 girlsKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: #675 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 9,842 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #324 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,369 girlsOKLouisiana: #209 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 1,092 girlsLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Gretchen, so not publishedHITexas: #566 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 5,346 girlsTXFlorida: #469 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 4,315 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Rhode Island#185 · 1 in 1,341
  2. Minnesota#188 · 1 in 1,079
  3. Washington#208 · 1 in 1,017
  4. Louisiana#209 · 1 in 1,092
  5. Massachusetts#220 · 1 in 1,848

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Rhode Island#18561 in 1,341
Minnesota#188351 in 1,079
Washington#208281 in 1,017
Louisiana#209361 in 1,092
Massachusetts#220291 in 1,848
Maine#22271 in 1,372
Ohio#238641 in 1,669
Oregon#241111 in 1,381
Wisconsin#247211 in 2,064
Montana#24951 in 1,314
New Jersey#265291 in 1,981
Missouri#273211 in 2,120
Connecticut#286101 in 2,426
Pennsylvania#287511 in 2,273
Oklahoma#32491 in 2,369
Michigan#328321 in 2,874
Kansas#33581 in 2,631
Maryland#336101 in 3,001
New York#341601 in 2,827
California#377571 in 2,859
Illinois#377301 in 3,541
Virginia#378121 in 3,404
Iowa#37971 in 3,929
Colorado#39861 in 3,092
Indiana#412121 in 4,203
Florida#469111 in 4,315
Kentucky#48061 in 5,485
Texas#566211 in 5,346
North Carolina#67551 in 9,842
Alabama———
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Georgia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Mississippi———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
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 1958

girls
#350
687 births · 1 in 2,928 girls

Top girls' names in 1958

  1. #1Mary55,848
  2. #2Susan45,175
  3. #3Linda41,904
  4. #4Karen38,487
  5. #5Patricia37,961
  6. #6Debra35,521
  7. #7Deborah32,943
  8. #8Cynthia31,014
  9. #9Barbara27,874
  10. #10Donna26,959
  11. #350Gretchen687
More about 1958

girls

2,011,619 girls got a published name in 1958; 1 in 2,928 of them was named Gretchen, which outranked 95.0% of the 7,030 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gretchen
  1. #347Willie698
  2. #348Cherie690
  3. #349Lorna688
  4. #350Gretchen687
  5. #350Maxine687
  6. #352Lillie683
  7. #352Stella683
  8. #354Katrina679

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

Biggest movers since 1957
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,133Brigitte#1,904 → #771
  2. ↑ 760Samantha#1,754 → #994
  3. ↑ 709Selena#1,388 → #679
  4. ↑ 672Tambra#1,588 → #916
  5. ↑ 570Bridgette#1,274 → #704
Fallers
  1. ↓ 312Sarita#970 → #1,282
  2. ↓ 311Beryl#910 → #1,221
  3. ↓ 309Sherree#827 → #1,136
  4. ↓ 275Winnie#965 → #1,240
  5. ↓ 236Jacalyn#975 → #1,211

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

See the top 100 for 1958 →