Holding steady.
Popularity of Rettie since 1881
Babies named Rettie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1892, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Rettie's real moment was 1882.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 27 |
| 1890s | 57 |
| 1900s | 41 |
| 1910s | 30 |
| 1920s | 8 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Rettie is a historical diminutive that saw modest use in late 19th-century America. First recorded in 1881, its peak popularity came the following year, in 1882, when it appeared in the Social Security data. The name exemplifies the Victorian-era fondness for clipped, affectionate forms ending in -ie or -y, such as Nettie or Hattie. Since the 1880s, Rettie has declined sharply; the trajectory indicates stable but near-zero contemporary usage. No states recorded notable concentrations. As a relic of a naming trend long past, Rettie remains a curiosity for those interested in vintage girls' names.
Rettie is a rare given name that appears in late 19th-century U.S. records. It is most likely a diminutive of names such as Henrietta, Harriet, or Loretta, formed by shortening to the first syllable and adding the -ie suffix. No definitive etymology has been established beyond this affectionate shortening pattern.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ret
Sibling names for Rettie
Names that share Rettie's style, for a brother or sister.
