Fleta
A girl's name of Old English origin with 1,333 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A taxonomic genus within the family Noctuidae – certain moths.
Fleta is a girl's baby name of Old English origin, derived from the Old English word fleot meaning 'swift' or fleet — used as a given name in the American South during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Fleta has the compact, distinctive charm of early American naming traditions, where unusual words and nature-influenced names were embraced. It carries a sense of speed and lightness — a name that moves with quiet grace.
EtymologyShow more
Phonetically, Fleta belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their open, warm ending — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. At two syllables, it has a two-beat rhythm that is easy to call across a room and natural in conversation.
Within the Old English naming tradition, names with similar sound structures often share underlying etymological patterns. Exploring Old English names on this site may surface connections that illuminate Fleta’s linguistic neighborhood.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Fleta has 75+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1881.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 83 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 113 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 198 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 336 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 285 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 150 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 123 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 38 | — |
The Story of Fleta
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1917, Fleta is a name steeped in history. Girls named Fleta are most likely born between 1907 and 1927.
How rare is Fleta?
With 1,333 total births on record, Fleta remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1881, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 336 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Fleta by the numbers
- Would fill 28 school buses
- Meeting one Fleta per day would take 3.7 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(75 years, 1881–1962)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 7 | #5467 |
| 1959 | 5 | #6561 |
| 1957 | 12 | #3539 |
| 1956 | 13 | #3400 |
| 1955 | 17 | #2757 |
| 1954 | 9 | #4066 |
| 1953 | 6 | #5245 |
| 1952 | 7 | #4619 |
| 1951 | 7 | #4516 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4446 |
| 1949 | 7 | #4372 |
| 1948 | 17 | #2437 |
| 1947 | 11 | #3313 |
| 1946 | 10 | #3299 |
| 1945 | 9 | #3211 |
| 1944 | 9 | #3210 |
| 1943 | 15 | #2374 |
| 1942 | 6 | #4279 |
| 1941 | 18 | #1975 |
| 1940 | 11 | #2622 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fleta a boy's or girl's name?
When was Fleta most popular?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1881–1962