Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1986

Britta

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #7,558

Britta is a female given name that is a variant of the Swedish name Birgitta, which is a form of the Irish Gaelic name Brighid.

Rank 2025
#7,558
among girls · ↓1,729 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
14
named Britta · -33% vs 2024
How common
1 in 114,805
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1986
191 babies
All-time total
3,682
#3,150 all-time among girls
First recorded
1916
in Social Security records

Britta popularity over time

3,682 babies have been named Britta since 1916, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1986Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 5 1 – #4,509
1920s 10 1 +100% #5,113
1930s 11 1 +10% #3,869
1940s 52 5 +373% #2,982
1950s 63 6 +21% #3,719
1960s 296 30 +370% #1,954
1970s 496 50 +68% #1,573
1980s 1,014 101 +104% #868
1990s 830 83 -18% #1,146
2000s 324 32 -61% #3,281
2010s 421 42 +30% #2,969
2020s (to 2025) 160 27 -37% #3,788

The story of Britta

Britta is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #7,558 in 2025 with 14 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1916, 3,682 American babies have been named Britta. Its peak came in 1986, when 191 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Britta stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Britta?

The median living Britta is about 36 years old; half are between 25 and 45. An estimated 3,500 people named Britta are alive in the United States today.

median 36 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Britta year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 14 #7,558
2024 21 #5,829
2023 27 #4,890
2022 24 #5,340
2021 36 #4,033
2020 38 #3,788
2019 32 #4,360
2018 38 #3,865
2017 48 #3,314
2016 41 #3,721
2015 58 #2,969
2014 38 #3,937
2013 43 #3,586
2012 39 #3,933
2011 44 #3,557
2010 40 #3,830
2009 33 #4,503
2008 33 #4,561
2007 31 #4,707
2006 39 #3,866
2005 27 #4,857
2004 34 #4,107
2003 18 #6,355
2002 31 #4,086
2001 37 #3,560
2000 41 #3,281
1995 74 #1,884
1990 150 #1,146
1985 78 #1,553
1980 59 #1,836
1975 42 #2,061
1970 50 #1,785
1965 27 #2,301
1960 20 #2,746
1955 5 #5,916
1950 6 #4,790
1945 – –
1940 9 #2,982
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Britta

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Britta Steffen Britta Steffen German swimmer (born 1983) Contemporary
  2. 2 Britta Heidemann Britta Heidemann German fencer (born 1982) Contemporary
  3. 3 Britta Bilač German-Slovene high jumper b. 1968 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Britta, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Britta?

The median living Britta is about 36 years old. Half of all living Brittas are between 25 and 45 years old.

How many people named Britta are alive today?

An estimated 3,500 people named Britta are alive in the United States, based on 3,682 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Britta mean?

Britta is a female given name that is a variant of the Swedish name Birgitta, which is a form of the Irish Gaelic name Brighid.

How popular is the name Britta in 2025?

Britta ranked #7,558 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 14 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Britta?

3,682 babies have been named Britta in the United States since 1916, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Britta most popular?

Britta peaked in 1986, when 191 newborns received the name.

Is Britta a boy or girl name?

Britta is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Britta rising or falling?

Britta is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Britta?

Well-known people named Britta include Britta Steffen (swimmer), Britta Heidemann (fencer), Britta Bilač (athlete).

Names like Britta

Names that sound and feel close to Britta: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Britta with similar names → More names starting with B →