Greta
The name Greta is derived from the name Margareta, which comes from the Greek word margarites or "pearl".
- German
- Italian
- Swedish
- Lithuanian
Meaning & Origin of Greta
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The name Greta is derived from the name Margareta, which comes from the Greek word margarites or "pearl".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Italian
- Swedish
- Lithuanian
- Polish
- English
- Hungarian
- Icelandic
- Latvian
The Story of Greta
The earliest SSA record of Greta as a baby girl name dates back to 1885, when 6 babies received it. 1967 was its biggest year on record, with 534 newborns named Greta — #394 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Greta ranks #923 for baby girls with 285 births, falling sharply (-30%). All told, over 28K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Greta
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Greta. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Gosia
- Grete
- Gretel
- Gretta
- Małgorzata
- Małgosia
- Margaret
- Margareta
- Margarete
- Margaretha
- Margarethe
- Margaretta
- Margarette
- Margarita
- Margery
- Margherita
- Margit
- Margitta
- Margret
- Margrit
- Margrith
- Marit
- Marita
- Marjorie
- Marjory
- Märta
- Marzena
- Merit
- Meta
- Rita
Names that sound like Greta
Phonetically similar names — useful when Greta is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Greta
What does the name Greta mean?
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How popular is Greta in 2026?
When was Greta most popular?
In which U.S. states is Greta most popular?
Is Greta a unisex name?
What names go well with Greta?
What are nicknames or variants of Greta?
About the name Greta
Greta is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1885 and has accumulated 28K births in the dataset. Greta's peak popularity came in 1967 when it ranked #317. Use the chart and map above to compare Greta's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1967 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.