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Oletha

♀ Girl

Pronounced oh-LEE-thuh /oʊˈliː.θə/Medium

Meaning: Oletha is an early-twentieth-century American name, most likely an ornamented spelling of Oleta with the -tha ending fashionable at the time; some parents may have felt an echo of Alethea, from Greek aletheia, 'truth'.Low

In 30 seconds: Oletha is a vintage American girl's name, an elaborated form of Oleta with a faint echo of Alethea, 'truth' (said 'oh-LEE-thuh').

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningOletha is an early-twentieth-century American name, most likely an ornamented spelling of Oleta with the -tha ending fashionable at the time; some parents may have felt an echo of Alethea, from Greek aletheia, 'truth'.

U.S. rank (1980)#11622 ↘ Falling

1980 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1923

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,214

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

Oletha sits with the wave of American girls' names built on the pretty -tha ending a century ago, and reads as a dressed-up version of Oleta. A few families likely heard in it the Greek Alethea, 'truth', though that link is more sound than certain descent.

Never common, it peaked around 1923 and drifted out of use over the following decades. Anyone named Oletha today would almost certainly be a grandmother or older, and the name has not joined any modern vintage revival.

Did you know? Oletha is a true turn-of-the-century antique: it was already scarce, cresting in the early nineteen-twenties at only a few dozen girls a year, and it faded away by around 1980.

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Oletha — elaborated form of Oleta; possible Alethea echo

Variations

OletaOletheaOletta

Nicknames

OlaLee

Famous Bearers

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If you like Oletha…

Oleta— the plainer parent form of the same name

Aletha— the Greek 'truth' name Oletha seems to echo

Bertha— a familiar vintage -tha name with the same old-fashioned weight

Arletha— another English name

Tinisha— another vintage pick

Explore names like Oletha

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Oletha mean?

Oletha is an early-1900s elaboration of Oleta, possibly echoing Alethea, 'truth'; its exact origin is uncertain.

How do you pronounce Oletha?

It's said oh-LEE-thuh /oʊˈliː.θə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Oletha a boy or girl name?

Oletha is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Oletha?

Oletha was always rare and is a genuine early-twentieth-century antique, scarce for many decades now.