Declining since 2020, #2,326 for girls today.
Popularity of Delta since 1883
Babies named Delta per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2019, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Delta's real moment was 1904.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 51 |
| 1890s | 131 |
| 1900s | 192 |
| 1910s | 462 |
| 1920s | 488 |
| 1930s | 389 |
| 1940s | 283 |
| 1950s | 298 |
| 1960s | 195 |
| 1970s | 410 |
| 1980s | 184 |
| 1990s | 156 |
| 2000s | 115 |
| 2010s | 460 |
| 2020s | 554 |
Meaning & origin
Delta is a name drawn from the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, a symbol of change and new beginnings. In the United States, it first appeared in records in 1883 and was most popular in 1904, when it reached its peak rank. Since then, it has experienced a steady decline, especially since 2020, reflecting a falling trajectory. Despite this, Delta's modern revival has been partly fueled by cultural references and its association with the Delta variant during the pandemic. The name is most popular in Mississippi, Indiana, and Tennessee, and it retains a distinctive, literary feel. As a word name, Delta carries a sense of geography and mathematics, making it a unique choice that stands apart from more common Greek-letter names like Alpha or Omega.
Delta is directly derived from the Greek letter Δ (delta), which itself came from the Phoenician letter dalet. The name was adopted into English in the 19th century as a given name, possibly influenced by the geographical term for a river delta. It enjoyed modest use in the United States in the early 1900s and saw a resurgence in the late 20th century.
Where Delta is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Dell, Ella
Sibling names for Delta
Names that share Delta's style, for a brother or sister.
