Retal
A modern invented name of unknown meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 322 living Americans carry the first name Retal. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Retal today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Retal births was 2024 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Retal. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Retal with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
322
~ 1 in 1,064,454 Americans
Peak year
2024
37 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,008
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Retal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Retal from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 182 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Retal remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Retal 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 Retal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Retals live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, Michigan, California recorded the most babies named Retal, while California, Michigan, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Retal
The given name Retal has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known civilizations in the world, dating back to around 3000 BCE in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). The name is derived from the Sumerian word "re'talu," which roughly translates to "one who brings light" or "illuminator."
This name was commonly used among the Sumerians, particularly for those who held positions of great importance or were revered for their wisdom and knowledge. It is believed that the name was often bestowed upon scholars, philosophers, and those who played a crucial role in preserving and disseminating knowledge within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Retal can be found in the ancient Sumerian cuneiform tablets, which document various aspects of their civilization, including records of names. These tablets provide valuable insights into the significance and meaning of the name during that era.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Retal. One such figure was Retal the Sage, a renowned Sumerian philosopher who lived around 2500 BCE. He was widely respected for his teachings on ethics, morality, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Retal of Nippur, a prominent Sumerian scribe who lived around 2200 BCE. He was renowned for his exceptional calligraphic skills and his contributions to the preservation of ancient Sumerian literature and historical records.
In the realm of religion, the name Retal also held significance. The ancient Sumerian pantheon included a minor deity known as Retal, who was associated with wisdom, learning, and the dissemination of knowledge. This deity was often invoked by scholars and those seeking enlightenment.
Moving forward in time, the name Retal also made an appearance in the works of several ancient Greek philosophers and historians, though its usage was relatively rare in this context.
One notable figure who bore the name was Retal of Ephesus, a Greek philosopher who lived around the 5th century BCE. He is credited with advancing several philosophical ideas, particularly in the realm of ethics and moral philosophy.
While the name Retal has largely fallen out of common usage in modern times, its rich historical significance and connection to ancient civilizations, wisdom, and enlightenment make it a fascinating subject of study for onomatologists and scholars alike.
People
Retal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Retal as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Retal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Retal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 322 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Retal 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 1,064,454 US residents.
Is Retal a common name?
We classify Retal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 324 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Retal most popular?
The single biggest year for Retal was 2024, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Retal is about 8 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Retal in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Retal a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Retal 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.
Is Retal still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Retal in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Retal can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Retal?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.