How old is someone named Gretchen?
The average Gretchen is 52 years old.
Half of all living Gretchens are between 42 and 64.
When was Gretchen popular?
Gretchen was at its most popular in the early 1970s. Parents have been moving away from it for decades, and 33 babies were named Gretchen in 2025.
Popular names of 1973 · The most popular names of the 1970s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 479 | 0 |
| 1910s | 1,797 | 0 |
| 1920s | 1,454 | under 100 |
| 1930s | 2,994 | 730 |
| 1940s | 5,192 | 3,000 |
| 1950s | 6,103 | 4,800 |
| 1960s | 9,745 | 8,600 |
| 1970s | 11,822 | 11,000 |
| 1980s | 5,674 | 5,500 |
| 1990s | 3,098 | 3,000 |
| 2000s | 3,067 | 3,000 |
| 2010s | 1,676 | 1,700 |
| 2020s | 321 | 320 |
How many Gretchens are still alive?
About 42,000 Gretchens are alive in the US today. That's 77% of the roughly 54,000 babies named Gretchen since 1882.
Most Gretchens ever born are still alive.
What generation is the name Gretchen?
About two in five living Gretchens are Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980.
Is Gretchen an old name?
Yes. Gretchen is older than 80 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Is Gretchen a boy or girl name?
Almost entirely girls: 99.9% of living Gretchens are women.
Names the same age as Gretchen
NAME TWIN
Gretchen's name twin is Malinda. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Malinda's age curve is the closest match to Gretchen's: 91% alike.
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Questions about the name Gretchen
How old is the average Gretchen?
The average Gretchen in the US is 52 years old. The median is 53, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Gretchen?
About 42,000 Gretchens are alive in the US today, out of roughly 54,000 babies given the name since 1882.
When was the name Gretchen most popular?
In 1973, when about 1,400 baby girls were named Gretchen.
Is Gretchen a Gen X name?
Partly. Gen X are the largest group, about 39% of living Gretchens, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this