Syretta
A girl's name of Arabic origin with 392 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Syretta sits in the vintage zone of American naming: first recorded in 1972, peaking in 1980, with 392 total births across its history.
The open, warm quality of its ending — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries — gives it a distinctive rhythm that pairs well with shorter middle names or surnames.
Syretta is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Syretta is a girl's baby name of Arabic origin, a variant of Syreeta, possibly related to the Arabic sīra meaning 'biography' or 'manner of proceeding,' or an African American creative name combining Sy- with -retta.
Syretta gained cultural visibility through Syreeta Wright, the American singer-songwriter who was briefly married to Stevie Wonder and recorded significant soul and R&B material in the 1970s. Her artistry gave the name warm, musical associations in African American culture.
EtymologyShow more
Syretta appeared in SSA records in 1972, placing it in the modern era of American naming — a period when parents increasingly began breaking from generational naming patterns, experimenting with spelling, and treating naming as a form of creative self-expression. Its Arabic roots may have been the starting point, adapted or respelled to fit contemporary American tastes.
With only 392 recorded births, Syretta has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Syretta has 20+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1972.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11 | #14161 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 218 | #5862 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 163 | #3884 | — |
The Story of Syretta
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1980, Syretta is a Gen X staple. Girls named Syretta are most likely born between 1972 and 1990.
How rare is Syretta?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Syretta is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1972, peaked in the 1980s with 218 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Syretta by the numbers
- Would fill 8 school buses
- Meeting one Syretta per day would take 1.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(20 years, 1972–1992)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 6 | #13163 |
| 1991 | 5 | #15158 |
| 1989 | 9 | #8682 |
| 1988 | 6 | #11616 |
| 1987 | 9 | #7920 |
| 1986 | 13 | #5729 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7490 |
| 1984 | 11 | #6239 |
| 1983 | 17 | #4456 |
| 1982 | 50 | #2076 |
| 1981 | 41 | #2403 |
| 1980 | 53 | #2010 |
| 1979 | 18 | #4207 |
| 1978 | 24 | #3268 |
| 1977 | 17 | #4208 |
| 1976 | 19 | #3659 |
| 1975 | 26 | #2874 |
| 1974 | 36 | #2246 |
| 1973 | 15 | #4136 |
| 1972 | 8 | #6474 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When was Syretta most popular?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1972–1992