Gretchen
Girl name · #4269 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Gretchen? In official American birth records, Gretchen has been tracked continuously since 1882, giving it 143 years of documented American history.
Gretchen is currently the #4269 girl name in the United States — 33 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1425, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 girls born in 2025 was named Gretchen.
The 143-year story
Gretchen first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 10 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1973, when 1,351 girls were named Gretchen — good for #191 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.
Babies named Gretchen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Gretchen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Gretchen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Gretchen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Gretchen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Gretchen is most common
State-level data for Gretchen is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Gretchen
Statistically, parents drawn to Gretchen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Colleen, Ginger, Rochelle, Maureen, and Christy.
ColleenGingerRochelleMaureenChristyKimberleeShannonCorinna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Gretchen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #4265 |
| 2024 | 45 | #3459 |
| 2023 | 65 | #2674 |
| 2022 | 52 | #3123 |
| 2021 | 61 | #2784 |
| 2020 | 65 | #2597 |
| 2019 | 71 | #2482 |
| 2018 | 96 | #2026 |
| 2017 | 120 | #1752 |
| 2016 | 170 | #1380 |
| 2015 | 162 | #1425 |
| 2014 | 191 | #1261 |
| 2013 | 203 | #1184 |
| 2012 | 203 | #1206 |
| 2011 | 234 | #1054 |
| 2010 | 226 | #1101 |
| 2009 | 265 | #998 |
| 2008 | 283 | #953 |
| 2007 | 316 | #883 |
| 2006 | 355 | #777 |
| 2005 | 349 | #762 |
| 2004 | 275 | #886 |
| 2003 | 316 | #782 |
| 2002 | 285 | #812 |
| 2001 | 313 | #763 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Gretchen?
In official American birth records, the name Gretchen first appeared in 1882 (over 143 years ago), when 10 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Gretchen a popular girl name?
Gretchen ranked #4269 among girls in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1425.
When was the name Gretchen most popular?
Gretchen peaked in 1973, when 1,351 American girls received the name (ranked #191 that year). Since 1973 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Gretchen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American girls was named Gretchen. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.