Greta
The name Greta is derived from the name Margareta, which comes from the Greek word margarites or "pearl".
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 →
The Story of Greta
Greta first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1885, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1967, when 534 Gretas were born — ranking #394 that year. As of 2026, Greta ranks #923 for baby girls with 285 births, falling sharply (-30%). In total, more than 28K Gretas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
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
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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.