Bertha
Definitely from Old English Berþa as a result of metathesis of h, from earlier Old English Berhte (“bright one”), influence of Latin Bercta.
Every Bertha since 1880 — 208,807 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bertha
Bertha is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,569 in 2025 with 30 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 208,807 American babies have been named Bertha. Its peak came in 1918, when 5,065 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bertha stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bertha year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | #4,569 | — | — |
| 2024 | 29 | #4,684 | — | — |
| 2023 | 30 | #4,581 | — | — |
| 2022 | 34 | #4,220 | — | — |
| 2021 | 25 | #5,112 | — | — |
| 2020 | 28 | #4,661 | — | — |
| 2019 | 30 | #4,557 | — | — |
| 2018 | 28 | #4,792 | — | — |
| 2017 | 28 | #4,825 | — | — |
| 2016 | 36 | #4,099 | — | — |
| 2015 | 30 | #4,610 | — | — |
| 2014 | 34 | #4,280 | — | — |
| 2013 | 28 | #4,921 | — | — |
| 2012 | 28 | #4,987 | — | — |
| 2011 | 47 | #3,416 | — | — |
| 2010 | 41 | #3,758 | — | — |
| 2009 | 46 | #3,520 | — | — |
| 2008 | 45 | #3,591 | — | — |
| 2007 | 63 | #2,865 | — | — |
| 2006 | 73 | #2,512 | — | — |
| 2005 | 58 | #2,834 | — | — |
| 2004 | 71 | #2,400 | — | — |
| 2003 | 59 | #2,677 | — | — |
| 2002 | 80 | #2,114 | — | — |
| 2001 | 99 | #1,798 | — | — |
| 2000 | 92 | #1,855 | — | — |
| 1995 | 142 | #1,209 | — | — |
| 1990 | 179 | #1,015 | — | — |
| 1985 | 163 | #951 | — | — |
| 1980 | 203 | #802 | — | — |
| 1975 | 263 | #605 | — | — |
| 1970 | 367 | #521 | — | — |
| 1965 | 554 | #394 | 6 | #3,573 |
| 1960 | 850 | #323 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,153 | #239 | 10 | #2,584 |
| 1950 | 1,396 | #193 | 6 | #3,356 |
| 1945 | 1,429 | #165 | 5 | #3,376 |
| 1940 | 1,730 | #141 | 11 | #2,191 |
| 1935 | 2,070 | #114 | 17 | #1,713 |
| 1930 | 2,605 | #95 | 21 | #1,604 |
| 1925 | 3,772 | #74 | 14 | #2,205 |
| 1920 | 4,604 | #57 | 22 | #1,647 |
| 1915 | 4,785 | #46 | 12 | #2,196 |
| 1910 | 2,651 | #33 | 13 | #871 |
| 1905 | 2,434 | #21 | 10 | #795 |
| 1900 | 3,019 | #16 | 22 | #492 |
| 1895 | 2,626 | #11 | 13 | #581 |
| 1890 | 2,388 | #10 | 6 | #897 |
| 1885 | 1,860 | #8 | 13 | #522 |
| 1880 | 1,320 | #9 | — | — |
Famous people named Bertha
- Bertha von Suttner Social activist · 1843–1914
- Bertha Benz Businessperson · 1849–1944
- Bertha Pappenheim Social activist · 1859–1936
- Bertha of Holland Companion · 1055–1093
- Bertha of Savoy Politician · 1051–1087
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bertha mean?
Definitely from Old English Berþa as a result of metathesis of h, from earlier Old English Berhte (“bright one”), influence of Latin Bercta.
How popular is the name Bertha in 2025?
Bertha ranked #4,569 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 30 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bertha?
208,807 babies have been named Bertha in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bertha most popular?
Bertha peaked in 1918, when 5,065 newborns received the name.
Is Bertha a boy or girl name?
Bertha is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bertha rising or falling?
Bertha has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Bertha?
Well-known people named Bertha include Bertha von Suttner (social activist), Bertha Benz (businessperson), Bertha Pappenheim (social activist).