Moretta as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Moretta

What is the meaning of the name Moretta ?

The baby name Moretta is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /moˈrɛtta/ (mo-RET-ta).

Moretta is Italian in Origin.

Moretta is a rare Italian feminine name derived from the diminutive suffix -etta attached to mora/moro, a word meaning dark-haired or Moorish, ultimately from Latin Maurus. It can also echo the Italian noun mora, blackberry, adding a poetic sense of deep, berry-dark color. The core meaning is little dark one; brunette. Usage is found in Italy and in Italian-speaking communities abroad.

The name began as an affectionate byname for dark-haired girls and appears sporadically as a given name in parish and civil records from the early modern period onward. Cultural associations include the Venetian velvet mask called the moretta and the Adriatic caffè Moretta, which help keep the term familiar. Variants and related forms include Moreta, Morette (French-influenced), the masculine Moretto, and cognates such as Morena and Maura; Etta may serve as a short form.