Declining since 2018, #908 for girls today.
Popularity of Greta since 1885
Babies named Greta per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1967, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Greta's real moment was 1932.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 44 |
| 1890s | 190 |
| 1900s | 271 |
| 1910s | 741 |
| 1920s | 1,168 |
| 1930s | 2,879 |
| 1940s | 1,266 |
| 1950s | 2,309 |
| 1960s | 3,462 |
| 1970s | 2,210 |
| 1980s | 1,416 |
| 1990s | 1,445 |
| 2000s | 3,755 |
| 2010s | 4,712 |
| 2020s | 1,918 |
Meaning & origin
Greta first entered U.S. records in 1885 and reached its peak popularity in 1932, when it ranked among the top names. After a long decline, it saw a modest revival in the 2010s, though it has been falling in use since 2018. In 2025, approximately 1 in 5,523 baby girls received the name, placing it at rank 908. The name has historically been most popular in the upper Midwest, with top states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Kansas. Its elegant, concise sound and powerful association with the iconic actress Greta Garbo have given it lasting appeal.
Greta is a short form of Margareta, the German and Scandinavian form of Margaret, which derives from the Greek margarites meaning 'pearl.' It has been used as an independent given name in Germany and Sweden since the 19th century, and gained wider international recognition through figures such as the Swedish actress Greta Garbo.
Where Greta is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Greta” around the world
Where Greta lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Gret
Sibling names for Greta
Names that share Greta's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Ingrid, Astrid, Hanna, Lena, Maja, Freida, Frida, Frieda, Heidi, Hilda, Hulda, Marlene, Mitzi, Sonja, Amalie, Annaliese, Britta, Christel, Dagmar, Fonda, Gretel, Heide, Helga, Hermine, Ilse, Inga, Leni, Liesel, Liesl, Marleen, Marna, Pia, Renate, Rudi, Sigrid, Valda, Aretta, Berit, Brigitta, Conny, Edda, Franca, Grethel, Heidie, Hilde, Hildur, Ilsa, Inge, Kaaren, Kathe, Kirsti, Liesa, Linde, Litzi, Luise, Margit, Elke, Hedy, Hildy, Kalle, Kjersten, Lisbet, Marga, Rheda, Senta, Trude, Viveca, Marlies, Aneliese, Birgit, Elfida, Fryda, Gunda, Haide, Hedda, Hedi, Heike, Kirstine, Liese, Malene, Truda, Valborg, Zsazsa
Brothers: Karl, Lars, Otto, Emil, Erik, Bernhard, Bruno, Carl, Dirk, Eric, Evert, Fritz, Hagen, Hans, Kaiser, Kurt, Rainer, Rudolph, Adolf, Alois, Armin, Dietrich, Erich, Ernst, Franz, Gerhard, Karsten, Klaus, Konrad, Lorenz, Ludwig, Nels, Niklaus, Nikolaus, Olaf, Reinhold, Rolf, Rommel, Rudolf, Sigmund, Theodor, Waldemar, Werner, Bauer, Bernhardt, Braun, Dieter, Edel, Erland, Frantz, Gerhardt, Gillis, Gunter, Gunther, Gustaf, Harald, Heinz, Helmer, Hermann, Hilmer, Jaeger, Jahn, Jurgen, Knute, Marzell, Rollo, Selmer, Tilman, Ulrich, Valdemar, Zigmund, Alarik, Anselm, Behr, Claus, Ebert, Eisen, Elmar, Fredi, Gerhart, Hanzel, Harm, Helmut, Henning, Henrick, Hilding, Hjalmer, Ludwin, Manfred, Olson, Ralf, Ranier, Reiner, Reinhardt, Reinhart, Rutger, Thorsten, Wagner, Baer, Benno, Bertel, Deitrich, Dirck, Egon, Geral, Geron, Gotti, Grimm, Hanz, Hartman, Hilmar, Hjalmar, Kleber, Kohler, Laurens, Moritz, Olof, Othmar, Ritter, Rosser, Sigmond, Stein, Thielen, Wenzel, Wetzel, Willi, Zigmond
Names like Greta
Names whose popularity has moved with Greta's over the last 50 years.
