Gretel
Gretel is a girls' name of German origin meaning “pearl.” A diminutive of Margarethe, Gretel is immortalized in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale 'Hansel and Gretel.
how do you pronounce Gretel?
GREH-tul
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Gretel mean?
The name Gretel means “pearl.” It comes from the German language tradition.
A diminutive of Margarethe, Gretel is immortalized in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale 'Hansel and Gretel.' The name combines fairy-tale enchantment with down-to-earth German charm. It has recently gained fashion cachet as a retro-chic alternative to Margaret.
where does the name Gretel come from?
Wikipedia describes Gretel as a German shortening of Margarete, meaning pearl, which is consistent with the meaning given elsewhere.
who are famous people named Gretel?
- Gretel from Hansel and Gretel (Brothers Grimm fairy tale character)
- Gretel Ehrlich (American travel writer and essayist)
what names are similar to Gretel?
what names go well with Gretel?
Sibling names that share Gretel's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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