Etter

♀ Girl

Pronounced ETT-ur /ˈɛt.ər/Medium

Meaning: Etter is best read as a spelling variant of Etta, the pet form drawn from names ending in -etta such as Henrietta, Loretta and Marietta, where -etta is a diminutive of Germanic and Latin roots. Etter is also an established surname, which may have reinforced the form; a distinct given-name origin is not documented.Low

In 30 seconds: Etter most likely varies Etta, the short form of Henrietta and Loretta. It was an early-twentieth-century rarity, now gone (said ETT-ur).

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Origin LowEnglish, German

MeaningEtter is best read as a spelling variant of Etta, the pet form drawn from names ending in -etta such as Henrietta, Loretta and Marietta, where -etta is a diminutive of Germanic and Latin roots. Etter is also an established surname, which may have reinforced the form; a distinct given-name origin is not documented.

U.S. rank (1960)#6649 ↘ Falling

1960 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1921

Total births (all-time)≈ 476

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Etter shows up in United States birth records from the late 1800s into the mid-twentieth century, always in tiny numbers. It most plausibly reflects Etta, the diminutive shared by Henrietta, Loretta and Marietta, written in a form that also happens to be a common surname.

With its peak generations back, Etter reads as a period piece rather than a name on the rise, and a woman named Etter would be of a great-grandparent age. Etta is both its likely parent and its natural short form.

Did you know? The -etta ending behind Etter was hugely productive a century ago, spinning off short forms like Etta and Netta that sometimes became birth names of their own.

Overall data confidence 35%

References — Etter — Likely variant of Etta (Henrietta/Loretta); also a surname; early-1900s records

Variations

EttaHenriettaLoretta

Nicknames

EttaEttie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Etter…

Etta— the likely parent short form

Loretta— an -etta source name

Henrietta— another -etta parent name

Nettie— a like vintage short form in sound

Explore names like Etter

By themerare vintage short-form early-1900s

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Etter mean?

It most likely varies Etta, the short form of names like Henrietta and Loretta; the -etta ending is a classic diminutive.

How do you pronounce Etter?

It's said ETT-ur /ˈɛt.ər/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Etter a boy or girl name?

Etter is used here as a girl's name; it is also a family surname.

How popular is Etter?

It was always rare, an early-twentieth-century name given to only a couple dozen girls a year and gone today.