Uretta
A feminine name perhaps derived from the Hebrew name Orah meaning "light."
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Uretta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Uretta today is around 82 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Uretta births was 1919 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Uretta. 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 Uretta is about 82 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Urettas were born before 1954.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Uretta. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1919
5 babies that year
Average age
82
years old
1935 SSA rank
#4,840
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Uretta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Uretta from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Uretta 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 Uretta 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 Uretta
The given name Uretta is believed to have its origins in the Latin language. It is derived from the Latin word "uretta," which means "a little bear." The name was likely coined during the ancient Roman period, possibly as a nickname or pet name for a child or loved one.
In ancient Roman culture, bears were revered as symbols of strength, courage, and endurance. The diminutive form "uretta" was likely used as a term of endearment, suggesting a small but fierce individual. The name may have also been inspired by the constellation Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Uretta can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Pliny the Elder, who lived in the first century AD. He mentioned a woman named Uretta in his work "Naturalis Historia," which documented various aspects of ancient Roman life and culture.
Throughout history, the name Uretta has been borne by several notable individuals. One such person was Uretta of Cologne, a 12th-century Benedictine abbess and mystic who lived in the German city of Cologne. She is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
Another famous Uretta was Uretta Violanti, an Italian painter who lived during the 16th century. She was known for her religious artwork and was commissioned by various churches and noble families in Italy.
In the 18th century, Uretta Maser was a renowned German artist and engraver. She was particularly skilled in the art of mezzotint engraving and produced numerous portraits of notable figures of her time.
In the world of literature, Uretta Hyland was an Irish writer and poet who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was known for her lyrical poetry and her contributions to the Irish literary revival movement.
Finally, Uretta Crittenden was an American author and activist who lived in the late 20th century. She wrote extensively on topics related to women's rights, environmentalism, and social justice.
While the name Uretta may have fallen out of widespread use in modern times, its historical significance and rich cultural roots make it a unique and fascinating name with a deep connection to the ancient world.
People
Uretta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Uretta as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Uretta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Uretta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Uretta 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Uretta a common name?
We classify Uretta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Uretta most popular?
The single biggest year for Uretta was 1919, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Uretta is about 82 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 Uretta in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Uretta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Uretta 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 Uretta still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Uretta 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 Uretta 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 named Uretta?
Find out how many people share the name Uretta on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.