Bertha

Definitely from Old English Berþa as a result of metathesis of h, from earlier Old English Berhte (“bright one”), influence of Latin Bercta.

Alternatively, from Old High German berhta (“bright one”), which was an epithet of the goddess Frigg.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɝθə/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbɜːθə/

Bertha

1. A female given name from the Germanic languages.
   • 1858, Henry Wadswoth Longfellow, The Courtship of Miles Standish:

     You are the beautiful Bertha, the spinner, the queen of Helvetia; / She whose story I read at a stall in the streets of Southampton

   • 1921, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Rilla of Ingleside, Echo Library, published 2006, →ISBN, page 12:

     Why couldn't they have called her by her first name, Bertha, which was beautiful and dignified, instead of that silly "Rilla"?

   • 1983, Margaret Atwood, Bluebeard's Egg, McCleland-Bantam, →ISBN, page 135:

     "No wonder she never gets anywhere with a name like Bertha," Sally said, while having coffee afterwards with two of the other night-coursers. "It goes with her outfits, though." ( Bertha sports the macrame look, with health-food sandals and hand-weave skirts that don't do a thing for her square figure, [...])

2. Alternative form of Perchta (“goddess in Alpine paganism”)

• bareth, bather, breath

Bertha c

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Bertha

• Berta

• Audio:

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Bertha f (proper noun, genitive Berthas, plural Berthas)

1. a female given name, equivalent to English Bertha