Martha
Meaning of Martha
Martha traces her roots to the ancient Aramaic word “marta,” meaning “lady” or “mistress of the house,” a title that instantly paints the picture of a poised hostess handing out steaming cups of masala chai on a breezy Delhi evening. Best known through the gentle, practical Martha of Bethany in the Bible, the name carries an aura of quiet industry—she is the one who keeps the dhal from burning while still listening for life’s deeper lessons. Over centuries, Martha sailed from West Asian shores into Europe and the Americas, peaking in mid-20th-century U.S. popularity before settling into a comfortable niche today, much like a favourite woven khadi shawl that refuses to go out of style. The pronunciation, MAHR-thuh, feels sturdy yet soft, and its steady, unshowy rhythm appeals to parents who value timeless grace over fleeting trends. Touches of modern glamour—from lifestyle mogul Martha Stewart to the cinematic charm of Martha Graham’s expressive dance—add a sprinkle of stardust, proving that this classic “lady of the house” can still dance to a contemporary beat.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as MAHR-thuh (/ˈmɑrθə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
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Notable People Named Martha
| Martha Stewart is an American entrepreneur, author, and television personality who built a successful media empire focused on home and hospitality. |
| Martha Washington was the inaugural first lady of the United States, setting key precedents for the role. |
| Martha Plimpton is an American actress from the Carradine family who began her career as a teen star in The Goonies and has won a Primetime Emmy Award with Tony nominations. |
| Martha Graham was an American dancer, teacher, and choreographer whose Graham technique revolutionized modern dance and is still taught worldwide. |
| Martha Hughes Cannon - Martha Cannon was a Welsh-American physician and politician who championed women's rights and suffrage in Utah. |
| Martha Wells is an American speculative fiction writer acclaimed for her complex, realistic societies, a skill honed by her anthropology background. |
| Martha Argerich is an Argentine classical pianist widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, celebrated for her interpretations of composers like Chopin, Ravel, Liszt, Prokofiev, and Schumann. |
| Martha Moore Ballard was an American midwife and diarist whose rare decades-long diary provides historians with invaluable insight into colonial frontier women's lives. |
| Martha Raye, nicknamed "The Big Mouth," was an American comic actress and singer who performed in film, television, and Broadway, and received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her volunteer services to the troops. |
| Martha Lane Fox is a British businesswoman who co-founded Last Minute and serves on the boards of WeTransfer and Chanel, while also contributing to philanthropy and public service. |
| Martha Mendoza's AP reporting freed over 2,000 enslaved fishermen and spurred U.S. government action. |
| Martha Bulloch Roosevelt - Martha Stewart "Mittie" Roosevelt was an American socialite and Southern belle who mothered President Theodore Roosevelt and was grandmother to Eleanor Roosevelt. |
| Martha Bernays was married to Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. |
| Martha Marek was an Austrian serial killer who drew significant media attention in the interwar period. |
