Loletha is a unique and captivating female given name of African American origin. It was created by the famous African American author and activist Alice Walker in her novel "The Color Purple" published in 1982.
In the novel, Loletha is one of the main characters who is known for her strength, resilience, and intelligence. She is a woman who has experienced great hardship but manages to find her voice and empower herself through music. This character has become an iconic figure in African American literature and culture.
The name Loletha itself does not have a specific meaning or derivation from any known language. However, it is believed that Alice Walker created the name as part of her artistic expression and to represent the unique spirit of her character.
Despite its lack of traditional meaning or origin, Loletha has become a popular name among African American communities in the United States and beyond. It is often seen as a representation of empowerment, creativity, and cultural heritage.
In terms of its usage in popular culture, aside from being prominent in "The Color Purple," the name Loletha has also been used by several notable figures such as musician and singer Loleatta Holloway and actress Loleatta Merritt. These individuals have contributed to the continued recognition and popularity of this unique name.
In conclusion, Loletha is a fascinating female given name with a strong connection to African American culture and literature. Although it does not have a traditional meaning or derivation, its creation by Alice Walker in "The Color Purple" has made it a significant and empowering name for many individuals around the world.
Based on the statistics provided, it appears that the name Loletha has seen a varied number of births annually in the United States over the years from 1948 to 1982.
The highest number of births with the name Loletha occurred in 1960 and again in 1971, each year seeing 15 births. This indicates that these two decades were likely peak periods for the popularity of this particular name.
However, it's important to note that these years also represent outliers as the majority of annual birth counts fluctuate between 5 to 13 throughout the given time period. For instance, there were only 5 births in both 1976 and 1982.
When examining the total number of births over this span, we see that there were a combined 240 babies named Loletha born in the United States from 1948 to 1982. This demonstrates that while not extremely common, the name Loletha did have some presence during these years.