Aretha
Girl · a-REE-tha · Greek
Aretha is a girls' name of Greek origin, meaning “virtue, excellence”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Aretha mean?
Greek: from arete
“virtue, excellence”
Aretha Franklin, the 'Queen of Soul', is the name's most famous bearer.
- Say it
- a-REE-tha
Is Aretha a girl's or a boy's name?
Aretha is a girls' name.
How popular is Aretha in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2002, with 4 girls.
Aretha in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4 | #4,870 |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 3 | #5,804 |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 4 | #4,967 |
| 2016 | 3 | #6,009 |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 3 | #6,003 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 3 | #6,007 |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 0 | – |
| 2007 | 0 | – |
| 2006 | 0 | – |
| 2005 | 3 | #4,976 |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 4 | #3,556 |
How popular is Aretha in the US?
No girls in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1968, with 543 girls. It first appears in the records in 1900.
Half of all the girls named Aretha in the US since 1880 were born between 1953 and 1972, the years shaded on the chart below.
Aretha in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 | #13,456 |
| 2022 | 6 | #13,586 |
| 2021 | 6 | #13,459 |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 5 | #15,677 |
| 2017 | 5 | #15,898 |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 6 | #14,577 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 5 | #16,756 |
| 2010 | 7 | #13,442 |
| 2009 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 7 | #13,827 |
| 2007 | 0 | – |
| 2006 | 5 | #17,163 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 7 | #12,181 |
| 2001 | 6 | #13,514 |
| 2000 | 5 | #15,024 |
| 1999 | 10 | #8,798 |
| 1998 | 7 | #11,132 |
| 1997 | 8 | #9,797 |
| 1996 | 0 | – |
| 1995 | 9 | #8,761 |
| 1994 | 14 | #6,313 |
| 1993 | 12 | #7,031 |
| 1992 | 17 | #5,477 |
| 1991 | 21 | #4,644 |
| 1990 | 25 | #3,998 |
| 1989 | 23 | #4,115 |
| 1988 | 26 | #3,580 |
| 1987 | 27 | #3,328 |
| 1986 | 34 | #2,778 |
| 1985 | 26 | #3,327 |
| 1984 | 40 | #2,381 |
| 1983 | 33 | #2,658 |
| 1982 | 50 | #2,050 |
| 1981 | 54 | #1,958 |
| 1980 | 55 | #1,936 |
| 1979 | 64 | #1,712 |
| 1978 | 80 | #1,434 |
| 1977 | 91 | #1,286 |
| 1976 | 97 | #1,172 |
| 1975 | 117 | #1,026 |
| 1974 | 153 | #855 |
| 1973 | 147 | #874 |
| 1972 | 199 | #718 |
| 1971 | 237 | #665 |
| 1970 | 257 | #639 |
| 1969 | 309 | #563 |
| 1968 | 543 | #397 |
| 1967 | 385 | #483 |
| 1966 | 91 | #1,102 |
| 1965 | 148 | #818 |
| 1964 | 123 | #948 |
| 1963 | 110 | #1,016 |
| 1962 | 130 | #931 |
| 1961 | 110 | #1,044 |
| 1960 | 59 | #1,429 |
| 1959 | 44 | #1,642 |
| 1958 | 34 | #1,871 |
| 1957 | 47 | #1,569 |
| 1956 | 38 | #1,716 |
| 1955 | 30 | #1,939 |
| 1954 | 31 | #1,874 |
| 1953 | 27 | #1,972 |
| 1952 | 36 | #1,610 |
| 1951 | 32 | #1,700 |
| 1950 | 36 | #1,549 |
| 1949 | 31 | #1,696 |
| 1948 | 44 | #1,385 |
| 1947 | 32 | #1,696 |
| 1946 | 34 | #1,507 |
| 1945 | 34 | #1,373 |
| 1944 | 33 | #1,400 |
| 1943 | 28 | #1,590 |
| 1942 | 31 | #1,471 |
| 1941 | 20 | #1,810 |
| 1940 | 28 | #1,442 |
| 1939 | 39 | #1,160 |
| 1938 | 30 | #1,343 |
| 1937 | 31 | #1,303 |
| 1936 | 31 | #1,296 |
| 1935 | 36 | #1,182 |
| 1934 | 39 | #1,133 |
| 1933 | 34 | #1,224 |
| 1932 | 39 | #1,147 |
| 1931 | 23 | #1,593 |
| 1930 | 37 | #1,232 |
| 1929 | 32 | #1,338 |
| 1928 | 27 | #1,540 |
| 1927 | 15 | #2,338 |
| 1926 | 39 | #1,243 |
| 1925 | 46 | #1,136 |
| 1924 | 30 | #1,533 |
| 1923 | 45 | #1,142 |
| 1922 | 46 | #1,124 |
| 1921 | 33 | #1,409 |
| 1920 | 31 | #1,439 |
| 1919 | 41 | #1,155 |
| 1918 | 24 | #1,645 |
| 1917 | 33 | #1,261 |
| 1916 | 17 | #1,949 |
| 1915 | 30 | #1,285 |
| 1914 | 24 | #1,262 |
| 1913 | 18 | #1,358 |
| 1912 | 13 | #1,540 |
| 1911 | 12 | #1,372 |
| 1910 | 10 | #1,521 |
| 1909 | 13 | #1,152 |
| 1908 | 9 | #1,439 |
| 1907 | 12 | #1,142 |
| 1906 | 5 | #1,951 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,695 |
| 1904 | 0 | – |
| 1903 | 7 | #1,440 |
| 1902 | 7 | #1,438 |
| 1901 | 0 | – |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,931 |
Names like Aretha
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Martha Ada Agatha Alma Bonnie Dorothy Georgina Sara Athena Rita Melissa Nina
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