Greta
Girl name · #909 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Greta? In official American birth records, Greta has been tracked continuously since 1885, giving it 140 years of documented American history.
Greta is currently the #909 girl name in the United States — 291 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #575, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,186 girls born in 2025 was named Greta.
Babies named Greta per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 140-year story
Greta first appears in the Social Security records in 1885, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1967, when 534 girls were named Greta — good for #394 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Greta against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Greta in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Greta is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Greta will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Greta is most common
Geography matters for names, and Greta is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Greta is most common in MN (1.9 per 1,000), WI (0.8 per 1,000), MA (0.5 per 1,000), IL (0.4 per 1,000), PA (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Greta is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Greta
Greta belongs to the Margaret family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
MargaretMaggieMegPeggyMargieGreta
Counted as one name, the Margaret family went to about 3,768 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #61, versus #909 for Greta alone.
Names like Greta
Statistically, parents drawn to Greta tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lea, Karla, Gwen, Moira, and Myra.
LeaKarlaGwenMoiraMyraIngridGalaAlthea
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Greta | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 291 | #908 |
| 2024 | 314 | #860 |
| 2023 | 283 | #936 |
| 2022 | 324 | #859 |
| 2021 | 336 | #826 |
| 2020 | 370 | #739 |
| 2019 | 462 | #637 |
| 2018 | 519 | #589 |
| 2017 | 466 | #632 |
| 2016 | 473 | #633 |
| 2015 | 533 | #575 |
| 2014 | 494 | #597 |
| 2013 | 479 | #593 |
| 2012 | 444 | #642 |
| 2011 | 411 | #684 |
| 2010 | 431 | #671 |
| 2009 | 417 | #696 |
| 2008 | 434 | #696 |
| 2007 | 434 | #675 |
| 2006 | 411 | #686 |
| 2005 | 405 | #685 |
| 2004 | 379 | #707 |
| 2003 | 376 | #695 |
| 2002 | 319 | #756 |
| 2001 | 279 | #829 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Greta?
In official American birth records, the name Greta first appeared in 1885 (over 140 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Greta a popular girl name?
Greta ranked #909 among girls in 2025 with 291 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #575.
When was the name Greta most popular?
Greta peaked in 1967, when 534 American girls received the name (ranked #394 that year). Since 1967 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Greta?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,186 newborn American girls was named Greta. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.