Ortha

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Ortha

Pronounced OR-thuh /ˈɔːrθə/Medium

Meaning: Ortha has no single settled source; it most plausibly reworks Orpha, the biblical Moabite name, or draws on the Greek orthos meaning straight, though the connection is unproven.Low

In 30 seconds: Ortha is a rare American girls' name from the early nineteen-hundreds, likely tied to biblical Orpha. Said OR-thuh, it stayed scarce and reads as a plain, sturdy vintage choice.

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Origin LowEnglish, Greek

MeaningOrtha has no single settled source; it most plausibly reworks Orpha, the biblical Moabite name, or draws on the Greek orthos meaning straight, though the connection is unproven.

U.S. rank (1942)#5191 ↘ Falling

1942 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1923

Total births (all-time)≈ 254

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

Ortha appeared for a small number of girls in the early twentieth century, cresting around 1923. Its likeliest parent is Orpha, a biblical name then in modest use, with the p softened to a th; a separate Greek reading is possible but undocumented.

It was never common, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak, and had largely vanished by the nineteen-forties. A girl named Ortha then would be past a hundred today. The name reads as plain, old-fashioned and firmly of its era.

Did you know? Ortha sits close to Orpha, the name of Ruth's sister-in-law in the Book of Ruth, a source many rural American families drew on for daughters in the early twentieth century.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Ortha — Likely variant of biblical Orpha; possible Greek orthos link, unconfirmed

Variations

OrphaOrtheliaOrthia

Nicknames

OrrieTheaOra

Famous Bearers

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If you like Ortha…

Orpha— the likely biblical parent name

Ora— a like short vintage O- name

Bertha— a same-era -tha girls' name

Alpha— a comparable early-century word-style name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ortha mean?

It is uncertain; it most likely reworks the biblical name Orpha, with a possible nod to Greek orthos meaning straight.

How do you pronounce Ortha?

It is said OR-thuh /ˈɔːrθə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Ortha a boy or girl name?

Ortha is recorded as a girl's name.

How popular is Ortha?

It has always been very rare, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at a small peak in the early nineteen-twenties.