Given name & surname
Etta
“ruler of the house”
Etta is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “ruler of the house.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One American interpretation is “ruler of the house.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is American.
How it developed
In English usage, Etta is a short form of Henrietta.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Etta through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 43,291
- 23 boys · 43,268 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 803 babies
- 2025
- 281
- #930 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 281 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 930 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 3.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 803 in 1920. In 2025, Minnesota had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (23). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 10,485 as a first name in 2020; 254 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Etta’s family of names
In English usage, Etta is a short form of Henrietta. Etta has a related form in Etienne. Etta has a related form in Yetta.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Henriettafull form · English
- Ettyvariant
- Etiennevariant
- Ettievariant
- Ettivariant
- Yettavariant
- Etteahvariant
- Etteavariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Etta
- Etta Palm d'AeldersDutch feminist and spy1743–1799
- Etta BakerAmerican Piedmont blues guitarist and singer1913–2006
- Etta JonesAmerican jazz singer (1928–2001)
- Etta CameronBahamian singer (1939–2010)
- Etta Zuber FalconerAmerican mathematician & academic (1933–2002)
- Etta BandaMalawian politicianborn 1949
- Etta McDanielAmerican actress (1890-1946)
- Etta Moten BarnettAmerican singer, actress, and activist (1901–2004)
- Etta ScolloItalian singerborn 1958
Characters named Etta: Etta Candy (Wonder Woman supporting character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Etta, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Marjorie
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Golda
“resembling the precious metal”
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