Oprah Winfrey Reveals Her Real Name to Keke Palmer

Key Takeaways

Oprah Winfrey’s real name is Orpah, inspired by the Bible.
She changed her name due to spelling difficulties.
Winfrey discovered her birth name at around 20 years old.
Keke Palmer also has a different name on her birth certificate.

Oprah Reveals Her Real Name

In a recent episode of “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer,” Oprah Winfrey surprised the actress by sharing that her real name is Orpah. The revelation left Palmer speechless.

The Biblical Connection

Winfrey explained that her name comes from the Bible, specifically from the story of Ruth and Naomi. “Ruth, first chapter, 14th verse. It’s that whole Ruth and Naomi story,” she said, elaborating on the context of her name.

She recounted how Ruth declared, ‘Wherever thy goest, I will go,’ while Orpah chose to return home, stating, ‘I’m going back. I’m sorry. I can’t. Too long. The road’s too long.’

Why the Name Change?

When Palmer asked why Winfrey decided to go by Oprah, Winfrey explained that as a child, no one could spell Orpah correctly. “So, it turned out on my birth certificate, it’s Orpah. And then people started calling me Oprah. It’s just the difference between the P being before the R or after the R. Once they started with Oprah, that’s it,” she said.

Discovering Her Real Name

Winfrey shared that she was around 20 years old when she realized her birth certificate listed a name different from what everyone called her. She also pointed out that Keke Palmer has a different name on her birth certificate: Lauren Keyana Palmer. Palmer expressed her delight at knowing this fact.

Harpo Productions

In a playful twist, Winfrey named her media company Harpo Productions, which is simply Oprah spelled backward. Reflecting on her childhood, she mentioned, “No one knew how to spell in my home, and that’s why I ended up being Oprah,” a statement she made in a 1983 audition tape.

Winfrey elaborated on her name’s origin, stating, “My folks did not really like Harpo Marx. We did not even have a television set for a number of years. Originally, I was named from the Bible by Aunt Ida, who named me from Ruth, the first chapter at the 14th verse, Orpah, but no one knew how to spell in my home, and that’s why I ended up being Oprah.”