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Home › Baby Names Directory › Grethel

Grethel

♀ Girl

Pronounced GRETH-el /ˈɡrɛθ.ɛl/Medium

Meaning: A form of Gretel — a German pet form of Margaret, from the Greek margarites, 'a pearl'; known from the folktale Hansel and Gretel; we note the folktaleLow

In 30 seconds: A pearl: Grethel forms Gretel/Margaret. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'GRETH-el'). We note the folktale.
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Origin LowGreek, German
MeaningA form of Gretel — a German pet form of Margaret, from the Greek margarites, 'a pearl'; known from the folktale Hansel and Gretel; we note the folktale
U.S. rank (2025)#15715 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1921
Total births (all-time)≈ 630

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192119042025

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

Grethel is a form of Gretel — a German pet form of Margaret, from the Greek margarites, 'a pearl'; known from the folktale Hansel and Gretel (we note the folktale). A crisp, classic name (said 'GRETH-el').

In the U.S. it appears in Hispanic and German families. Rare, a-pearl at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Margaret is Greek for 'a pearl' — Gretel is a German pet form (known from Hansel and Gretel), and Grethel is a spelling, crisp and classic (we note the folktale; said 'GRETH-el').
Overall data confidence 36%
References — Grethel — form of Gretel/Margaret

Variations

GretelGrettelGretchen

Nicknames

Greta

Famous Bearers

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If you like Grethel…

Gretel— the source name
Greta— a kin short form
Gretchen— a fellow German pet form of Margaret
Margarita— a companion 'pearl' Spanish girls' name

Explore names like Grethel

By themegreekgermanfolklore

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Grethel mean?

Grethel is a form of Gretel — a German pet form of Margaret, Greek 'a pearl'; known from Hansel and Gretel. We note the folktale.

How do you pronounce Grethel?

It's said GRETH-el /ˈɡrɛθ.ɛl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Grethel a boy or girl name?

Grethel is a girl's name.

How popular is Grethel?

Grethel is a very rare name in the U.S.

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