Name meaning & stats
Gretel
Gretel. 1,401 US babies since 1940, peak 2022. Notable Gretels are 1.1× over-represented as actors.
What it means
No agreed meaning on record
In US birth records
Peak year: 2022
1,401 US babies were named Gretel between 1940 and 2025.
Gretel around the world
- England & Wales: 98 babies since 1996, peak 2014
- France: 65 babies since 1900, peak 1981
From official birth registries. Sources are listed on About the data.
Where Gretels end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | 1.1× | Low · 2 people |
| Writer | 1.0× | Low · 1 people |
| Professor | 1.1× | Low · 1 people |
| Singer | 1.1× | Low · 1 people |
Among notable women who are actors, Gretels show up 1.1× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people of every nationality born 1940–2005 (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
Other spellings
The most common spelling: 53% of Gretels use it
- Gretel 53%
- Grettel 41%
- Grettell 5%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 2022)