Gretchen

Gretchen is a German diminutive of Margarete, the German form of Margaret, which traces back through Latin Margarita and Greek Margarites to a word meaning pearl. The name gained wide literary recognition through Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, in which Gretchen is the innocent young woman who becomes Faust's love interest, cementing the name's association with German culture. It has also been used independently in English-speaking countries, particularly in the United States during the twentieth century. Related forms include Greta, Gretel, and Margaret.