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I prefer Rena.

In English world pronounce "gret-KHEN"

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In European world pronounce "gret-CHEN"

some people were saying you should use Greta.
I agree it sounds really pretty.

Please don't use Gretchen. It sounds too much like "retch". Greta is so much softer and prettier. Rena makes me think of "renal", meaning "pertaining to the kidneys", so that's a no-go, too. Again I say go with Greta.

Gretchen is not used as a name in Germany. It was a long time ago but only as a nickname for Margarethe. I don't know anyone named Gretchen or Margarethe but I do know one Grete (GREH-teh) The character in Faust is also named Margarethe. Gretchen is her nickname. It does seem very very nicknameish to someone from Germany and dated as well.

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It is pronounced with a long eh sound in Germany- more like GREHT-chen or GRAYT-chen than GRETT-chen. The -chen is pronounced with a sound that doesn't exist in the English language. I guess the closest would be GRAYT-shen. But the ch is really soft, it is a sound that just does not exist in German. I think most Germans wouldn't know what it is if the heard it pronouced in English- it sounds really different.

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I much prefer Greta, especially in English speaking countries though I think Gretchen with the German pronunciation is kind of cute. Only a nn though.

I like the name Gretchen. I think it's very cute. I say GRETCH-enn, and I don't see how you could pronounce it any other way.

I do not like Gretchen at all. I prounce it with "wretch" in the middle.

I like Gretchen. I think it's cute, and I love the nn Greta. I pronounce it GRECH-ən.

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I don't like Rena.

I don't mind Gretchen in theory, but practically I can't get over the 'retch' part.