Saretha
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from the Hebrew name Sarah.
Name Census estimates that about 28 living Americans carry the first name Saretha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Saretha today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Saretha births was 1969 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Saretha. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Saretha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
28
~ 1 in 12,241,226 Americans
Peak year
1969
7 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1981 SSA rank
#10,113
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Saretha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Saretha from the 1940s through to the 1980s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 17 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1960s peak, Saretha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saretha 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 Saretha 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 Saretha
The name Saretha is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which was the predominant language of ancient India and the Vedic culture. The name is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "saratha," which means "charioteer" or "one who drives a chariot."
In Hindu mythology, the charioteer was a revered figure, often portrayed as a wise guide or mentor. The charioteer was responsible for guiding the warrior or hero during battles, serving as a strategic advisor and providing valuable counsel. This association with wisdom and guidance may have contributed to the name Saretha being viewed as a name of strength and leadership.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Saretha can be found in the ancient Hindu epic, the Mahabharata. In this epic, Saretha is the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandava princes during the great battle of Kurukshetra. Although a minor character, the inclusion of the name in such a significant text suggests its usage during the epic's composition, which is believed to have occurred between the 8th and 9th centuries BCE.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Saretha. One of the earliest recorded figures was Saretha of Corinth, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 6th century BCE. He was known for his teachings on ethics and virtue, and his works were highly influential in ancient Greece.
Another prominent figure was Saretha the Wise, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 10th century CE in the region of modern-day Iran. Her poetry and writings on philosophy and theology were widely celebrated during her lifetime and continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars to this day.
In the 12th century, there was Saretha of Aleppo, a skilled architect and engineer who is credited with the design and construction of several notable landmarks in the city of Aleppo, including the famous Citadel of Aleppo. Her innovative techniques and attention to detail earned her a reputation as one of the most talented architects of her time.
Moving forward to the 16th century, Saretha Kaur was a Sikh warrior and leader who played a crucial role in the defense of the Sikh community against oppression and persecution. She was known for her bravery, strategic leadership, and unwavering commitment to protecting her people, earning her a revered place in Sikh history and folklore.
In more recent times, Saretha Nambiar was an Indian freedom fighter and social activist who dedicated her life to the cause of Indian independence from British rule. Born in 1890, she participated in numerous protests and civil disobedience movements, and her efforts helped inspire generations of Indians to fight for their nation's freedom.
People
Saretha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Saretha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Saretha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Saretha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 28 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Saretha 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 12,241,226 US residents.
Is Saretha a common name?
We classify Saretha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 45.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 33 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Saretha most popular?
The single biggest year for Saretha was 1969, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Saretha is about 56 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 Saretha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Saretha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Saretha 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 Saretha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Saretha 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 Saretha 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 people are called Saretha?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.