Home › Baby Names Directory › Loretha

Loretha

♀ Girl

Pronounced luh-REE-thuh /ləˈriː.θə/Medium

Meaning: Loretha is a mid-twentieth-century American coinage, most plausibly a blend of Loretta (from Latin laurel) and Aretha (Greek, 'virtue' or 'excellence'); it carries the sound of both rather than a single fixed meaning.Low

In 30 seconds: Loretha is a mid-century American blend, most likely of Loretta and Aretha (said 'luh-REE-thuh').

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowAmerican

MeaningLoretha is a mid-twentieth-century American coinage, most plausibly a blend of Loretta (from Latin laurel) and Aretha (Greek, 'virtue' or 'excellence'); it carries the sound of both rather than a single fixed meaning.

U.S. rank (1995)#14789 ↘ Falling

1995 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1954

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,792

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Loretha is a mid-twentieth-century American name that most likely blends Loretta with Aretha. Loretta descends from the laurel of Latin naming, while Aretha is Greek for 'virtue', so Loretha carries both a leafy and a lofty echo without settling on one meaning.

It was always uncommon, peaking around 1954 at a few dozen girls a year and thinning by the nineteen-nineties. It reads as a warm mid-century coinage and has not been part of the recent vintage revival.

Did you know? Loretha was a mid-century name, cresting around 1954 at only a few dozen girls a year before fading toward the end of the century.

Overall data confidence 45%

References — Loretha — mid-century blend of Loretta/Aretha, uncertain

Variations

LorettaDorethaLoreatha

Nicknames

RethaLori

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Loretha…

Loretta— a likely parent of this blended name

Aretha— the other likely source of the -etha ending

Lorena— same soft mid-century Lor- sound

Doretha— a near-rhyming coinage of the same era

Explore names like Loretha

By themecoinage rare vintage

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Loretha mean?

Loretha is a mid-century American blend, most likely of Loretta and Aretha, carrying the sound of both.

How do you pronounce Loretha?

It's said luh-REE-thuh /ləˈriː.θə/ — three syllables.

Is Loretha a boy or girl name?

Loretha is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Loretha?

Loretha was always uncommon — a warm mid-century coinage that never became widespread.