Greta
Greta was the 908th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 291 babies. Its best year was 1932, when it ranked 317th; the most babies were born in 1967 (534). Over the last ten years it has moved down 333 places. More babies were named Greta in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning short form of Margaret, 'pearl' · German, Swedish, Greek
Say it GRET-uh /ˈɡɹɛtə/
- Rank in 2025
- #908 girls, down 168 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 291girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1967534 babies
- Total since 1880
- 27,791babies recorded
What does the name Greta mean?
Greta is a German and Swedish contraction of Margareta (Margaret). Margaret comes through Latin margarita from Greek margaritēs 'pearl', a word that may itself come from an Eastern language, perhaps Persian. Saint Margaret of Antioch and Saint Margaret of Scotland spread the full name across Europe. Greta Garbo made the short form famous in the US in the 1930s; more recent bearers include Greta Gerwig and Greta Thunberg.
μαργαρίτης (margaritēs) (Ancient Greek, “pearl”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Margaret, Gretchen, Grete, Margarita.
See also: Greek names, names that mean jewel.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Greta', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Margaret', DMNES (Durham University)
Greta popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 5 since 1934.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #908 | 291 |
| 2020 | #740 | 370 |
| 2010 | #671 | 431 |
| 2000 | #757 | 301 |
| 1990 | #1,471 | 106 |
| 1980 | #811 | 199 |
| 1970 | #544 | 344 |
| 1960 | #540 | 321 |
| 1950 | #718 | 143 |
| 1940 | #569 | 149 |
| 1930 | #360 | 345 |
| 1920 | #924 | 62 |
| 1910 | #817 | 28 |
| 1900 | #625 | 32 |
| 1890 | #741 | 14 |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Greta, counting every spelling?
Greta is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #841 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #908 for Greta on its own. Together these spellings went to 314 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greta | 291 | #908 | 1,548 |
| Gretta | 23 | #5,466 | 156 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Greta?
291 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Greta (0.08 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Greta born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 29 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Greta.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Greta?
About 21,300 people born in the US named Greta are alive today, with a median age of 28; half are between 14 and 59. That makes Greta mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Greta by state
How common Greta was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Minnesota (10.2×), Wisconsin (4.5×), Utah (4.0×), Massachusetts (2.5×), Oregon (2.0×). In 20 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Greta: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Greta, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Greta · Sibling names for Greta
Greta is also a nickname for Margaret.
Questions about the name Greta
What does Greta mean?
Greta means “short form of Margaret, 'pearl'” (German, Swedish, Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Greta?
Greta was the 908th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 291 babies. Its best year was 1932, when it ranked 317th; the most babies were born in 1967 (534). Over the last ten years it has moved down 333 places. More babies were named Greta in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Greta a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Greta in the US.
Where is Greta most popular?
In 2021–2025, Greta was most common in Minnesota (1.94 per 1,000 girls), followed by North Dakota and Wisconsin.