Girl · Possibly Greek
Aretha
Say it: ah-REE-thah
Meaning
Uncertain. Often linked to Greek arete 'virtue, excellence', but this is not firmly established.
Uncertainseveral explanations, none settled.
Its wave through time
A fashion of the 1960s
In the United States
- 5,638 babies given this name since 1900
- At its height in 1968, about 1 in 3,000 girls
- Fewer than 5 babies a year in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
Famous bearers
- Aretha Franklin, singer
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.