Grete
Grete or Grethe is a feminine given name, a derivate of Margaret. It is most often used in Scandinavia, Estonia, and German-speaking Europe.
Meaning & Origin of Grete
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Grete or Grethe is a feminine given name, a derivate of Margaret. It is most often used in Scandinavia, Estonia, and German-speaking Europe.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Grete
Grete first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1927, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1981, when 7 Gretes were born — ranking #8,128 that year. As of 2026, Grete ranks #15,431 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 61 Gretes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Grete
Phonetically similar names — useful when Grete 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 Grete
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About the name Grete
Grete is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1927 and has accumulated 61 births in the dataset. Grete's peak popularity came in 1981 when it ranked #8,128. Use the chart and map above to compare Grete's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1981 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- 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.