Thekla
Thekla is a Greek feminine given name made famous by Saint Thecla, a 1st-century Christian martyr. In English, it is more commonly romanized as Thecla.
Meaning & Origin of Thekla
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Thekla is a Greek feminine given name made famous by Saint Thecla, a 1st-century Christian martyr. In English, it is more commonly romanized as Thecla.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Thekla
Thekla first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1882, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1890, when 14 Theklas were born — ranking #727 that year. As of 2026, Thekla ranks #13,458 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 296 Theklas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Thekla
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Thekla, wife of Michael II (died c. 823 ), first Empress-consort of Michael II of the Byzantine Empire
- Thekla, daughter of Theophilos ( c. 822/823 – after 867), daughter of Emperor Theophilos of the Byzantine Empire, Augusta
- Mother Thekla (1918–2011), nun, academic and collaborator of the English musician and composer John Tavener
- Thekla Beere (1902–1991), Irish civil servant
- Thekla M. Bernays (1856–1931), American author, journalist, artist, art collector, speaker, and suffragette
- Thekla Brun-Lie (born 1992), Norwegian biathlete
- Thekla Friedländer (born 1849, death unknown), German soprano and social reformer
- Thekla Kaischauri (born 1993), Austrian professional wrestler known mononymously as Thekla
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Thekla
Phonetically similar names — useful when Thekla 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 Thekla
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About the name Thekla
Thekla is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 296 births in the dataset. Thekla's peak popularity came in 1890 when it ranked #727. Use the chart and map above to compare Thekla's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1890 →
- Names of the 1890s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- 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.