Iretta
An Italian feminine name possibly derived from the Greek meaning "peace".
Name Census estimates that about 65 living Americans carry the first name Iretta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Iretta today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Iretta births was 1924 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Iretta. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Iretta is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Irettas were born before 1958.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Iretta. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
65
~ 1 in 5,273,144 Americans
Peak year
1924
14 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1964 SSA rank
#7,161
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Iretta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Iretta from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 87 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Iretta by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Iretta during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Iretta
The name Iretta is believed to have its origins in the ancient Greek language, tracing back to the 5th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "eirene," which means "peace." This name was likely chosen to symbolize a sense of tranquility and serenity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Iretta can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. In his philosophical treatises, he mentions a woman named Iretta who was known for her wisdom and peaceful nature.
During the Byzantine Empire, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century AD, the name Iretta gained popularity among the Greek-speaking population. It was often given to girls born during times of peace or to those who were seen as embodying the qualities of calmness and harmony.
In the 12th century, a notable woman named Iretta of Constantinople emerged as a prominent figure in the Eastern Orthodox Church. She was renowned for her philanthropic efforts and her dedication to promoting peace and reconciliation among various factions within the church.
As the name spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and variations, such as Iretta, Yretta, and Iretta. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in Western Europe can be found in the chronicles of the Crusades, where a woman named Iretta of Antioch is mentioned as a noble lady who aided the Crusaders in their quest for the Holy Land.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Iretta. In the 15th century, Iretta Della Rovere was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her support of Renaissance artists and intellectuals.
Another prominent figure was Iretta Guicciardini, an Italian writer and historian who lived in the 16th century. She is best known for her detailed accounts of the political and social events of her time, which serve as valuable historical records.
In the 18th century, Iretta Agnesi was an Italian mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the fields of algebra and calculus. She is considered one of the pioneering women in the field of mathematics and a trailblazer for female education.
Iretta Pareto, an Italian sociologist and economist from the 19th century, is also noteworthy. She is renowned for her work on the Pareto principle, which is widely used in economics and business management.
Finally, in the 20th century, Iretta Renoir was a French artist and the granddaughter of the renowned Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. She carried on the family's artistic legacy and gained recognition for her own paintings and sculptures.
People
Iretta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Iretta as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Iretta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Iretta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 65 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Iretta going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 5,273,144 US residents.
Is Iretta a common name?
We classify Iretta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 279 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Iretta most popular?
The single biggest year for Iretta was 1924, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Iretta is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Iretta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Iretta in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.