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Home › Baby Names Directory › Gretel

Gretel

♀ Girl

Pronounced GRET-əl /ˈɡrɛt.əl/High

Meaning: Pearl; German diminutive of Margarete, from Greek margaritesHigh

In 30 seconds: The fairy-tale heroine who outwitted the witch — and, underneath, simply a German pet form of Margarete, 'pearl'. Storybook courage with a gemstone meaning.
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Origin HighGerman, Greek
MeaningPearl; German diminutive of Margarete, from Greek margarites
U.S. rank (2025)#3269 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births48 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,513

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219152025

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

Gretel is a German diminutive of Margarete, the towering European classic from Greek margarites, 'pearl'. The Brothers Grimm fixed it forever in the world's imagination with Hansel and Gretel (1812), and Engelbert Humperdinck's 1893 opera carried the breadcrumb tale into every opera house.

Real-world bearers include Gretel Bergmann, the German-Jewish high jumper barred from the 1936 Olympics, whose story is one of sport's most moving. Long avoided in the U.S. as 'too fairy-tale', Gretel has begun to intrigue parents who already love Greta — it remains rare and storybook-fresh.

Did you know? In the Grimms' tale it is Gretel, not Hansel, who saves the day — shoving the witch into her own oven and freeing her brother.
Overall data confidence 95%
Behind the Name — Gretel — etymology

Variations

GrethelGretaGretchen

Nicknames

GretaGretie

Famous Bearers

  • ★Gretel Bergmann (1914–2017)
    German-Jewish high jumper excluded from the 1936 Berlin Olympics by the Nazi regime.

If you like Gretel…

Greta— the sleeker German sister form of the same root
Heidi— another Alpine storybook name for girls
Margaret— the 'pearl' classic behind the whole family
Grettel— shares Gretel's German roots
Ellen— a fellow Greek choice

Explore names like Gretel

By themevintagegerman
By meaningJewel / Gem

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Gretel mean?

Gretel is a German diminutive of Margarete and shares its meaning: 'pearl', from Greek margarites.

How do you pronounce Gretel?

It's said GRET-əl /ˈɡrɛt.əl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Gretel a boy or girl name?

Gretel is a girl's name.

How popular is Gretel?

Gretel is a rare name in the U.S., overshadowed by its sisters Greta and Gretchen but rich in storybook charm.

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