Greta

Meaning: Pearl
Origin: German/Swedish (from Ancient Greek) — Variant of Margaret

Girl's name · #908 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Greta is an heirloom: its strongest era came around 1932, when it ranked #317. It has thinned since but never left the records — about 28,000 girls since 1885, ranked #908 today.

Across the states

In recent years, Greta ran 4–9× its national rate in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 25 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Greta ranks in other countries and regions.

#14 in Italy (2024) · #35 in Hungary (2025) · #175 in Austria (2025) · #213 in Sweden (2025) · #269 in Poland (2025) · #373 in Norway (2025) · #593 in Switzerland (2025) · #917 in Mexico (2024) · #1,539 in England & Wales (2025) · #1,894 in Canada (2024).

Famous Gretas

Greta Thunberg — Swedish climate protection activist (born 2003)
Greta Garbo — Swedish-American actress (1905–1990)
Greta Gerwig — American actress and filmmaker (born 1983)
Greta Scacchi — Italian-Australian actress
Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir — Icelandic singer and songwriter

In stories & tradition

Greta Wolfcastle — The Simpsons (TV series)
Greta^it — Pokémon
Greta Fiorentino — Street Scene (musical stage work)

What Gretas become

Among 605 notable people named Greta:

Entertainers appear 1.76× more often than among typical names — e.g. Greta Garbo, Swedish-American actress (1905–1990).

Similar names: Rita · Aileen · Greer · Loretta · Marjorie · Anita

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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