Girl name · Greek
Gretchen
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: pearlGretchen is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "pearl". It is used in English and German.
- Meaning
- Pearl
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #4292 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Gretchen
As a girl's name, Gretchen comes from Greek and means "pearl". It is used in English and German.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Gretchen on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Gretchen on 3 lists.
“A German pet form of Margarete”
From Nicknames that start with G, nicknames for names that start with G
“Pearl; Greek, a German pet form of Margarete”
From German girl names, old-fashioned German girl names
“A Swiss-German name for an Alpine goat”
From Goat names, girl goat names
How popular is Gretchen?
- US rank in 2025
- #4,292
- 33 babies, 21 per million girls
- Best rank
- #191 in 1973
- 1,351 babies that year
- Babies since 1882
- At least 53,799
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 72 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 144 per million |
| 1900s | 164 per million |
| 1910s | 220 per million |
| 1920s | 122 per million |
| 1930s | 281 per million |
| 1940s | 358 per million |
| 1950s | 317 per million |
| 1960s | 534 per million |
| 1970s | 764 per million |
| 1980s | 330 per million |
| 1990s | 172 per million |
| 2000s | 166 per million |
| 2010s | 96 per million |
| 2020s | 33 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,380 | #1,758 | #2,032 | #2,490 | #2,607 | #2,797 | #3,136 | #2,681 | #3,474 | #4,292 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Gretchen
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- GretelPearl (Greek, girl)
- MagaidhPearl (Greek, girl)
- MaggiePearl (Greek, girl)
- MaireadPearl (Greek, girl)
- MargaPearl (Greek, girl)
- MargaretePearl (Greek, girl)
- MargedPearl (Greek, girl)
- MargitPearl (Greek, girl)
- MargoPearl (Greek, girl)
- MargrethePearl (Greek, girl)
- MaritPearl (Greek, girl)
- MarjoryPearl (Greek, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Gretchen
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Gretchen: common questions
What does the name Gretchen mean?
Gretchen comes from Greek and means "pearl".
Is Gretchen a boy or girl name?
Gretchen is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Gretchen come from?
Gretchen comes from Greek and means "pearl". Today it is used in English and German.
How popular is the name Gretchen?
Gretchen ranked #4,292 in the US in 2025, with 33 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Gretchen?
Forms of Gretchen with the same meaning and origin include Gretel (German), Magaidh (Scottish), Maggie (English), Mairead (Scottish) and Marga (German).
What middle names go with Gretchen?
Middle names that flow well with Gretchen include Briar, Ione, Jade, Jane and Lark. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.