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The Sanskrit root pRth (the R is a sonant r, a short version of the -r- sound in onomatopaeic krrrrng, but often becomes ri and ru in modern Indian languages, the th is dental somewhat like, though slightly less aspirated and slightly more apical than the th- in English thing) meant to extend, and figuratively spread, increase, shine over or be well known. pRthA (the -A is open like in English car) is a feminine noun from that root. The masculine form (pRtha, with a short -a pronounced as a schwa, or somewhat like the a- in English about) is not used as a name to my knowledge, and this site incorrectly assigns its meaning (a spread hand, or the corresponding length measure) to the feminine name. pRthA was the name of a famous character in the epic mahAbhArata, and had one child before marriage and three after. The three were three of the five brothers that were on the winning side in the central fight of that epic, and were known for their bravery, courage, and heroism. The youngest of them was also the recipient of the advice that forms the srImadbhagavd giTA, a holy book of the Hindus.

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pArtha means a male descendent of pRthA, and is a common enough term for any of the three brothers, and sometimes includes their two half-brothers when the word is used in plural. It is especially commonly used for the youngest brother since the gItA often uses that epithet. Reading the mahAbhArata, one could even argue that he is the central male hero around whom the epic swings.

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In modern north India, the schwa -a drops out and the name is pronounced pArth.

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pArtha can also mean a descendant of pRthi, a male name in the Rgveda. pRth seems like a productive root in these ancient times give rise ro pRthI and pRthu in addition. But today, derivations from these, or the meaning a prince/king (since pRthvI, from the same root, means the earth) is not commonly known.