Bretta is of American origin, derived from the Scottish surname Brett, which was originally an occupational name for a brewer. The name is composed of the elements 'breu', meaning 'to brew', and '-t-', referring to an agent noun suffix. Bretta is typically used as a female given name, though it can also be used as a male name. It first gained popularity in the United States during the mid 20th century but has since become less common. There are no notable figures with this name, and its meaning or origins are not widely known.
The name Bretta experienced fluctuations in popularity over time, with a notable peak in the late 1960s to early 1970s. The highest number of births recorded was 20 in 1970. However, it seems the name's popularity has significantly declined since the late 1990s, with only six births recorded in both 1996 and 1998, and five in 2017. Overall, there were a total of 419 births named Bretta from 1950 to 2017.