Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1946

Reta

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Reta
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1946
192 babies
All-time total
8,616
#1,841 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Reta popularity over time

8,616 babies have been named Reta since 1880, 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
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1896Girls

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 50 5 – #637
1890s 236 24 +372% #451
1900s 360 36 +53% #496
1910s 989 99 +175% #548
1920s 1,511 151 +53% #544
1930s 1,651 165 +9% #476
1940s 1,564 156 -5% #553
1950s 1,450 145 -7% #663
1960s 495 50 -66% #1,226
1970s 177 18 -64% #2,343
1980s 95 10 -46% #4,470
1990s 38 4 -60% #9,342
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Reta

Reta is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 8,616 American babies have been named Reta. Its peak came in 1946, when 192 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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 Reta stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Reta?

The median living Reta is about 74 years old; half are between 67 and 81. An estimated 3,400 people named Reta are alive in the United States today.

median 74 020406080100

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

Reta year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 6 #12,534
1985 5 #12,008
1980 17 #4,470
1975 19 #3,609
1970 33 #2,343
1965 43 #1,733
1960 80 #1,226
1955 175 #716
1950 166 #663
1945 127 #653
1940 156 #553
1935 176 #476
1930 170 #517
1925 161 #564
1920 172 #544
1915 132 #562
1910 54 #563
1905 37 #578
1900 32 #632
1895 28 #574
1890 15 #717
1885 5 #1,169
1880 5 #921

Famous people named Reta

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

  1. 1 Reta Shaw Reta Shaw American actress (1912–1982) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Reta?

The median living Reta is about 74 years old. Half of all living Retas are between 67 and 81 years old.

How many people named Reta are alive today?

An estimated 3,400 people named Reta are alive in the United States, based on 8,616 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Reta in 2025?

Reta did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Reta?

8,616 babies have been named Reta in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Reta most popular?

Reta peaked in 1946, when 192 newborns received the name.

Is Reta a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Reta rising or falling?

Reta has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Reta?

Well-known people named Reta include Reta Shaw (actor).

Names like Reta

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

Compare Reta with similar names → More names starting with R →