Oprah Winfrey Reveals Her Birth Name Was Orpah on Keke Palmer Podcast

Oprah Winfrey disclosed that the name on her birth certificate is "Orpah," not the well‑known "Oprah." She explained that the name comes from the biblical Book of Ruth and that the change occurred unintentionally when people struggled to spell and pronounce it during her childhood. Winfrey said she did not learn about the discrepancy until she was about 20 years old.

The revelation was made during an interview with actress Keke Palmer on the podcast "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer," where Palmer expressed surprise at the unexpected fact. The conversation also touched on Winfrey’s long‑running media career, her ownership of Harpo Productions, and her continued work in podcasting.