Oretha

Greek

"virtuous"

Oretha Origin and Meaning

The name Oretha is a girl's name.

Oretha is a feminine given name with possible origins as a variation of Aretha, which derives from the Greek word "arete" meaning "virtue" or "excellence." The name appears in U.S. records dating back to the early 20th century, with usage peaking between the 1920s and 1950s. One notable bearer was civil rights activist Oretha Castle Haley (1939-1987). Some sources suggest it could alternatively be a variation of Martha, with the initial 'O' possibly reflecting regional pronunciation patterns. The name has historical usage primarily in the southern United States. While never extremely common, Oretha represents naming patterns that include phonetic variations of established names, and it has a melodic quality with its flowing vowel sounds.

Famous People Named Oretha

• Oretha Castle Haley American civil rights activist