Girl · #8,779 in 2026

Retina

Name: Popularity of the name Retina in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Retina, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

The retina is the innermost, light-sensitive layer of tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focused two-dimensional image of the visual world on the retina, which then processes that image within the retina and sends nerve impulses along the optic nerve to the visual cortex to create visual perception.

Current Rank

#8,779

Peak Rank

#4,227 (1974)

Total Babies

158

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1959

First Year

1987

Last Year

1974

Peak Year

#4227

Peak Rank

158

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Retina

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history

Around 300 BCE , Herophilos identified the retina from dissections of cadaver eyes. He called it the arachnoid layer, from its resemblance to a spider web, and retiform , from its resemblance to a casting net. The term arachnoid came to refer to a layer around the brain; the term retiform came to refer to the retina . Between 1011 and 1021 CE, Ibn Al-Haytham published numerous experiments demonstrating that sight occurs from light reflecting from objects into the eye. This is consistent with intromission theory and against emission theory , the theory that sight occurs from rays emitted by the

The Story of Retina

Retina first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1959, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1974, when 14 Retinas were born — ranking #4,227 that year. As of 2026, Retina ranks #8,779 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 158 Retinas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Retina

Phonetically similar names — useful when Retina is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Retinue
Retana
Ratana
Retinae
Retinal
Retinas
Retine
Rhatany
Retten
Rutina
Written
Rutten

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Retina

What does the name Retina mean?

How popular is Retina in 2026?

In 2026, Retina ranks #8,779 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.

When was Retina most popular?

Retina reached its peak popularity in 1974, ranking #4,227 that year with 14 babies given the name.

Is Retina a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Retina is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Retina?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Retina include Berthena, Arthea, Dama. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Retina

Retina is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1959 and has accumulated 158 births in the dataset. Retina's peak popularity came in 1974 when it ranked #4,227. Use the chart and map above to compare Retina's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.