Tabitha

Tabitha, also commonly spelled as Tabetha, or Tabatha, /ˈtæbᵻθə/ is an English language feminine given name, derived from an Aramaic word טביתא ṭabītā that means gazelle,. Cf. Hebrew צְבִיָּה (Tsbiyah). It is a biblical name from Acts 9:36, which in the original Greek was Ταβιθά, in which Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek) is a woman raised from the dead by Saint Peter. Other alternate spellings include Tabytha, Tabahta, Tabathina and Tabea. Nicknames include Tab, Tabbi, Tabby, Tibby and Tabs.

The name was common in 18th century New England, and of those born between 1718 and 1745, ranked about 31st as most common female given names, about 0.56% of the population. The name gained a resurgence in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was ranked among the 200 most popular names for girls. The character Tabitha Stephens, a child witch on the 1960s television situation comedy Bewitched, raised the profile of the name. It has since declined in popularity. In 2009 it was the 647th most popular name for girls in the United States. The name was the 209th most popular name for girls in England and Wales in 2007.

Dorcas

Dorcas (Greek: Δορκάδα/Δορκάς, Dorkáda/Dorkás; Aramaic: טביתא‎ Ṭabītā) was a disciple who lived in Joppa, referenced in the Acts of the Apostles (9:36–42) in the New Testament.

Acts recounts that when she died, she was mourned by "all the widows...crying and showing (Peter) the robes and other clothing that she had made while she was still with them" (Acts 9:39). The Greek construct used in this passage indicates that the widows were the recipients of her charity, but she may also have been a widow herself. It is likely that she was a woman of some means, given her ability to help the poor. The disciples present called upon Peter, who came from nearby Lydda to the place where her body was being laid out for burial, and raised her from the dead.

This narrative concerning Tabitha/Dorcas indicates her prominence in the community at Joppa. This might also be indicated by the fact that Peter took the trouble to come to her from a neighbouring city, when requested by the community members.

Tabitha (TV series)

Tabitha is an American fantasy sitcom that aired during the 1977–1978 season on ABC. It is a spin-off of Bewitched, which had ended its run five years earlier in 1972. The series starred Lisa Hartman in the title role as Tabitha, Samantha and Darrin Stephens' daughter who was introduced on Bewitched during its second season.

In the series, Tabitha is portrayed as a 20-something production assistant living and working in Los Angeles. The supporting cast includes David Ankrum as Tabitha's brother, Adam, with whom she works, Robert Urich as an egomaniacal talk show host who is a sometime love interest for Tabitha, and Mel Stewart as Tabitha and Adam’s cranky, but loveable, boss. Unlike Bewitched, which was a hit for ABC and aired for eight seasons, Tabitha failed to catch on with viewers and was canceled after one season.

Overview

Tabitha originated as a pilot that aired on ABC on April 24, 1976. The episode used the variant spelling Tabatha for the title, and starred Liberty Williams in the title role. Bruce Kimmel portrayed her brother, Adam Stephens. The major difference between the pilot and the series was that Adam was a full-fledged and mischievous warlock in the pilot, but was made a mortal for the series (thus making him the disapproving figure as Darrin had been). In the first pilot, Tabatha was an editorial assistant for the fictional Trend magazine, lived in San Francisco, and had a boyfriend named Cliff (Archie Hahn). She also contended with the supernatural antics of Adam. In situations that were very similar to "I, Darrin, Take This Witch, Samantha", the pilot episode of Bewitched, Tabatha tells Cliff that she is a witch, who at first does not believe her, but later discovers that she is telling the truth. Also, much like her mother did when she used her powers to deflect the unwanted affections of Sheila Sommers, her father's former fiancee, Tabatha deflects rival Dinah Nichols (Barbara Rhoades) from seducing Cliff.