Retha
A short form of Margaretha, the German and Dutch form of Margaret, which comes through Latin from the Greek margarites, meaning pearl.
Retha in 2025
Retha was not given to any babies in 2025. The Social Security Administration only publishes a name once at least five babies receive it in a year, so Retha has fallen below that threshold.
The history of Retha
Retha reached its highest point in 1924, when 252 babies were given the name, ranking 807th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 680th, in 1901.
Across the 142 years of records since 1884, 10,597 babies have been named Retha. Half of them were born before 1936, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Silent Generation.
Retha by decade
| Decade | Babies named Retha | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 30 | 1,455 |
| 1890s | 178 | 830 |
| 1900s | 446 | 680 |
| 1910s | 1,372 | 764 |
| 1920s | 2,078 | 807 |
| 1930s | 1,868 | 796 |
| 1940s | 1,702 | 882 |
| 1950s | 1,595 | 1,084 |
| 1960s | 872 | 1,580 |
| 1970s | 257 | 2,934 |
| 1980s | 143 | 5,584 |
| 1990s | 46 | 11,929 |
| 2000s | 5 | 27,051 |
| 2010s | 5 | 29,850 |
Where Retha is heading
Retha was not in use ten years ago, so there is no decade-long trend to compare against yet.
That is less than 5% of its 1924 peak — Retha is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Retha
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Retha.