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At a Glance
- Meaning
- Bright one; historically a short form of names like 'bright gift' or 'bright joy'
- Origin
- Old High German
- Gender
- Girl
- Pronunciation
- BUR-thuh
Bertha is a vintage girl's name of Old High German origin, pronounced BUR-thuh. It means 'bright one' and was historically a short form of longer names like 'bright gift' or 'bright joy.' You'll often see it said to mean 'bright, famous,' but the 'famous' part is a common, unsupported addition.
Meaning & Origin of Bertha
Meaning: Bright one; historically a short form of names like 'bright gift' or 'bright joy'.
Origin: Old High German.
A common claim: Widely said to mean 'bright, famous.' Actually: The 'famous' part is a common but unsupported addition — Bertha simply means 'bright one.'
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Bertha
BUR-thuhIPA /ˈbɜːrθə/
Popularity of Bertha
Bertha ranked #7 in the U.S. in 1883, when 1,682 girls were given the name. By 2024 it had slipped to #4775, with 28 babies, so it's a rare find today.
Names Like Bertha
These names share Bertha’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Bertha mean?
Bright one; historically a short form of names like ‘bright gift’ or ‘bright joy’. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Bertha?
Bertha is pronounced BUR-thuh (IPA: /ˈbɜːrθə/).
Is Bertha a popular name right now?
Bertha peaked at #7 in 1883 and is ranked #4775 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
Make Bertha Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Bertha, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Bertha? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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