Aretha

A girls’ name of Greek origin, meaning virtue or excellence.

Babies a year
5
the US, 2017
Rarity
Very rare
among names in use
US popularity
—
outside the top 1000
UK popularity
—
outside the ONS list

Aretha by the numbers

Aretha was given to 5 American babies in 2017, the most recent full year we hold.

Its American peak was 544 babies in 1968, so it is a 1960s name that has since fallen a long way.

Spelled almost the same

Other names in the records within a letter or two of Aretha. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.

  • Alethatruth; a form of Alethea6 in the US (2017)
  • Areeha8 in England and Wales (2025)
  • Ayeshaalive or living204 in England and Wales (2025)
  • Agathagood, virtuous, honorable46 in England and Wales (2025)
  • Aletheatruth, truthfulness9 in England and Wales (2025)
  • Aleshanoble; variant of alicia or alexa36 in the US (2017)

Other names that mean purity

Like Aretha, each of these has purity in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.

  • Lillianlily; purity6,139 in the US (2017)
  • Lilythe lily flower; purity2,249 in England and Wales (2025)
  • Katherinepure2,833 in the US (2017)
  • Jadejade stone; symbol of virtue and beauty2,765 in the US (2017)
  • Lilianalily; purity2,747 in the US (2017)
  • Catherinepure; clear1,573 in the US (2017)

Names about as common as Aretha

RomillyInayatAnayatGursanjhElaiaHeliaSafiyyaAafiyah

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