Oprah Winfrey reveals birth name “Orpah” on Keke Palmer podcast

During her appearance on the “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” podcast, Oprah Winfrey told host Keke Palmer that the name she has been known by for decades is not her birth name. Winfrey explained that she was originally named Orpah, a biblical figure from the Book of Ruth, and that a spelling mix‑up on her birth certificate turned “Orpah” into “Oprah” when she was a child. She said she only discovered the discrepancy when she was around 20 years old. In the same conversation she reflected on personal topics, recalling a brief attempt at a singing career in the late‑1990s that she now calls a “career mistake,” and describing how an early‑twenties toxic relationship taught her a painful lesson about self‑worth. The interview highlighted both the origins of her famous name and her willingness to discuss past setbacks openly.