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
- Peak · girls
- 1973 · 1,351 births
- Debut · girls
- 10 births
- In top 100 · girls
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 53,799since 1882
Gretchen over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Gretchen has never cracked the top 100 here.
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
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #4,265 | 33 | — | |
| 2024 | #3,459 | 45 | — | |
| 2023 | #2,674 | 65 | — | |
| 2022 | #3,123 | 52 | — | |
| 2021 | #2,784 | 61 | — | |
| 2020 | #2,597 | 65 | — | |
| 2019 | #2,482 | 71 | — | |
| 2018 | #2,026 | 96 | — | |
| 2017 | #1,752 | 120 | — | |
| 2016 | #1,380 | 170 | — | |
| 2015 | #1,425 | 162 | — | |
| 2014 | #1,261 | 191 | — | |
| 2013 | #1,184 | 203 | — | |
| 2012 | #1,206 | 203 | — | |
| 2011 | #1,054 | 234 | — | |
| 2010 | #1,101 | 226 | — | |
| 2009 | #998 | 265 | — | |
| 2008 | #953 | 283 | — | |
| 2007 | #883 | 316 | — | |
| 2006 | #777 | 355 | — | |
| 2005 | #762 | 349 | — | |
| 2004 | #886 | 275 | — | |
| 2003 | #782 | 316 | — | |
| 2002 | #812 | 285 | — | |
| 2001 | #763 | 313 | — | |
| 2000 | #743 | 310 | — | |
| 1999 | #745 | 301 | — | |
| 1998 | #747 | 290 | — | |
| 1997 | #752 | 283 | — | |
| 1996 | #722 | 290 | — | |
| 1995 | #722 | 283 | — | |
| 1994 | #738 | 281 | — | |
| 1993 | #682 | 320 | — | |
| 1992 | #683 | 317 | — | |
| 1991 | #596 | 377 | — | |
| 1990 | #628 | 356 | — | |
| 1989 | #534 | 430 | — | |
| 1988 | #588 | 344 | — | |
| 1987 | #559 | 359 | — | |
| 1986 | #512 | 405 | — | |
| 1985 | #470 | 451 | — | |
| 1984 | #404 | 524 | — | |
| 1983 | #374 | 596 | — | |
| 1982 | #325 | 747 | — | |
| 1981 | #276 | 895 | — | |
| 1980 | #271 | 917 | #5,525 | 6 |
| 1979 | #262 | 930 | — | |
| 1978 | #251 | 947 | — | |
| 1977 | #238 | 1,044 | — | |
| 1976 | #198 | 1,223 | — | |
| 1975 | #209 | 1,175 | #3,659 | 9 |
| 1974 | #199 | 1,278 | #3,837 | 8 |
| 1973 | #191 | 1,351 | — | |
| 1972 | #221 | 1,261 | — | |
| 1971 | #224 | 1,347 | — | |
| 1970 | #251 | 1,244 | #4,724 | 5 |
| 1969 | #263 | 1,106 | — | |
| 1968 | #293 | 887 | — | |
| 1967 | #271 | 968 | — | |
| 1966 | #269 | 960 | — | |
| 1965 | #295 | 906 | — | |
| 1964 | #294 | 974 | — | |
| 1963 | #299 | 962 | — | |
| 1962 | #289 | 1,001 | — | |
| 1961 | #285 | 1,044 | — | |
| 1960 | #306 | 937 | — | |
| 1959 | #333 | 812 | #3,988 | 5 |
| 1958 | #350 | 687 | — | |
| 1957 | #381 | 565 | #3,993 | 5 |
| 1956 | #369 | 567 | — | |
| 1955 | #366 | 575 | — | |
| 1954 | #367 | 563 | — | |
| 1953 | #351 | 578 | — | |
| 1952 | #342 | 583 | — | |
| 1951 | #318 | 618 | — | |
| 1950 | #329 | 545 | — | |
| 1949 | #316 | 608 | — | |
| 1948 | #303 | 640 | — | |
| 1947 | #332 | 570 | — | |
| 1946 | #309 | 567 | — | |
| 1945 | #308 | 493 | — | |
| 1944 | #302 | 490 | — | |
| 1943 | #332 | 448 | — | |
| 1942 | #321 | 464 | — | |
| 1941 | #310 | 441 | — | |
| 1940 | #289 | 471 | — | |
| 1939 | #298 | 420 | — | |
| 1938 | #285 | 483 | — | |
| 1937 | #334 | 350 | — | |
| 1936 | #362 | 303 | — | |
| 1935 | #363 | 301 | — | |
| 1934 | #372 | 288 | — | |
| 1933 | #414 | 240 | — | |
| 1932 | #430 | 233 | — | |
| 1931 | #459 | 198 | — | |
| 1930 | #500 | 178 | — | |
| 1929 | #556 | 152 | — | |
| 1928 | #520 | 177 | — | |
| 1927 | #594 | 142 | — | |
| 1926 | #593 | 143 | — | |
| 1925 | #605 | 144 | — | |
| 1924 | #669 | 123 | — | |
| 1923 | #593 | 149 | — | |
| 1922 | #588 | 149 | — | |
| 1921 | #603 | 144 | — | |
| 1920 | #625 | 131 | — | |
| 1919 | #619 | 128 | — | |
| 1918 | #523 | 176 | — | |
| 1917 | #402 | 246 | — | |
| 1916 | #357 | 296 | — | |
| 1915 | #351 | 288 | — | |
| 1914 | #380 | 196 | — | |
| 1913 | #384 | 158 | — | |
| 1912 | #397 | 134 | — | |
| 1911 | #459 | 80 | — | |
| 1910 | #403 | 95 | — | |
| 1909 | #463 | 66 | — | |
| 1908 | #464 | 60 | — | |
| 1907 | #521 | 47 | — | |
| 1906 | #458 | 55 | — | |
| 1905 | #528 | 42 | — | |
| 1904 | #493 | 44 | — | |
| 1903 | #514 | 39 | — | |
| 1902 | #600 | 30 | — | |
| 1901 | #467 | 41 | — | |
| 1900 | #453 | 55 | — | |
| 1899 | #480 | 37 | — | |
| 1898 | #491 | 39 | — | |
| 1897 | #594 | 26 | — | |
| 1896 | #457 | 40 | — | |
| 1895 | #493 | 35 | — | |
| 1894 | #597 | 24 | — | |
| 1893 | #473 | 32 | — | |
| 1892 | #565 | 24 | — | |
| 1891 | #430 | 34 | — | |
| 1890 | #483 | 29 | — | |
| 1889 | #543 | 22 | — | |
| 1888 | #593 | 18 | — | |
| 1887 | #560 | 16 | — | |
| 1886 | #693 | 11 | — | |
| 1885 | #1,047 | 5 | — | |
| 1884 | #930 | 6 | — | |
| 1883 | #754 | 7 | — | |
| 1882 | #596 | 10 | — | |
| 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 1979
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- Alaska#96 · 1 in 335
- Minnesota#96 · 1 in 455
- Wisconsin#134 · 1 in 711
- South Dakota#136 · 1 in 587
- Idaho#157 · 1 in 691
Best ever in a state: #78 in Maine, 1974.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | #96 | 8 | 1 in 335 |
| Minnesota | #96 | 61 | 1 in 455 |
| Wisconsin | #134 | 43 | 1 in 711 |
| South Dakota | #136 | 8 | 1 in 587 |
| Idaho | #157 | 10 | 1 in 691 |
| Ohio | #160 | 84 | 1 in 858 |
| Pennsylvania | #160 | 84 | 1 in 814 |
| North Dakota | #162 | 6 | 1 in 770 |
| Rhode Island | #162 | 6 | 1 in 745 |
| West Virginia | #184 | 14 | 1 in 870 |
| Washington | #187 | 26 | 1 in 974 |
| Montana | #189 | 6 | 1 in 780 |
| Iowa | #190 | 19 | 1 in 1,037 |
| Michigan | #193 | 54 | 1 in 1,103 |
| Indiana | #197 | 32 | 1 in 1,132 |
| Maine | #204 | 6 | 1 in 1,015 |
| Kansas | #213 | 13 | 1 in 1,106 |
| Oregon | #218 | 15 | 1 in 1,119 |
| Virginia | #235 | 23 | 1 in 1,269 |
| Connecticut | #247 | 10 | 1 in 1,470 |
| Missouri | #249 | 22 | 1 in 1,468 |
| Kentucky | #255 | 16 | 1 in 1,531 |
| Massachusetts | #256 | 18 | 1 in 1,703 |
| Nebraska | #272 | 6 | 1 in 1,717 |
| Maryland | #291 | 11 | 1 in 1,770 |
| Illinois | #300 | 41 | 1 in 1,822 |
| Louisiana | #304 | 17 | 1 in 1,721 |
| North Carolina | #309 | 16 | 1 in 2,054 |
| New York | #334 | 48 | 1 in 2,061 |
| New Jersey | #340 | 17 | 1 in 2,188 |
| Arkansas | #342 | 6 | 1 in 2,160 |
| Arizona | #346 | 10 | 1 in 1,786 |
| New Mexico | #355 | 5 | 1 in 1,734 |
| Colorado | #381 | 8 | 1 in 2,332 |
| Tennessee | #398 | 10 | 1 in 2,848 |
| South Carolina | #399 | 7 | 1 in 2,464 |
| Mississippi | #402 | 7 | 1 in 2,227 |
| Oklahoma | #407 | 7 | 1 in 2,645 |
| Georgia | #447 | 11 | 1 in 3,056 |
| California | #486 | 52 | 1 in 3,141 |
| Florida | #497 | 14 | 1 in 3,348 |
| Texas | #511 | 31 | 1 in 3,584 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| 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
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 95 | #543 (1889) | #715 |
| 1890s | 320 | #430 (1891) | #506 |
| 1900s | 479 | #453 (1900) | #496 |
| 1910s | 1,797 | #351 (1915) | #428 |
| 1920s | 1,454 | #520 (1928) | #595 |
| 1930s | 2,994 | #285 (1938) | #382 |
| 1940s | 5,192 | #289 (1940) | #312 |
| 1950s | 6,093 | #318 (1951) | #351 |
| 1960s | 9,745 | #263 (1969) | #286 |
| 1970s | 11,800 | #191 (1973) | #224 |
| 1980s | 5,668 | #271 (1980) | #431 |
| 1990s | 3,098 | #596 (1991) | #702 |
| 2000s | 3,067 | #743 (2000) | #836 |
| 2010s | 1,676 | #1,054 (2011) | #1,487 |
| 2020s | 321 | #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 1979
girls
#262
930 births · 1 in 1,726 girls
Top girls' names in 1979
More about 1979
girls
1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 1,726 of them was named Gretchen, which outranked 97.8% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Gretchen
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.