Bess
Bess was the 15307th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1887, when it ranked 157th; the most babies were born in 1889 (182). Over the last ten years it has moved down 510 places. More babies were named Bess in the 1890s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #15,307 girls, down 4,047 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 5girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1889182 babies
- Total since 1880
- 7,176babies recorded
Bess popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 5 since 1894.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #15,307 | 5 |
| 2020 | #11,260 | 8 |
| 2010 | #13,688 | 7 |
| 2000 | #10,009 | 9 |
| 1990 | #5,586 | 16 |
| 1980 | #3,075 | 28 |
| 1970 | #3,320 | 19 |
| 1960 | #2,314 | 26 |
| 1950 | #2,670 | 15 |
| 1940 | #1,409 | 29 |
| 1930 | #1,253 | 36 |
| 1920 | #798 | 82 |
| 1910 | #421 | 88 |
| 1900 | #280 | 134 |
| 1890 | #190 | 154 |
| 1880 | #227 | 46 |
How popular is Bess, counting every spelling?
Bess has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Bess?
5 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Bess (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Bess born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1,661 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Bess.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Bess?
About 1,400 people born in the US named Bess are alive today, with a median age of 51; half are between 38 and 69. That makes Bess mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Bess by state
How common Bess was among girls born in each state in 1910–1914, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Texas (2.3×). In 36 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Bess: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Bess, they share its era and feel.
Bess is also a nickname for Elizabeth.
Questions about the name Bess
How popular is the name Bess?
Bess was the 15307th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1887, when it ranked 157th; the most babies were born in 1889 (182). Over the last ten years it has moved down 510 places. More babies were named Bess in the 1890s than in any other decade.
Is Bess a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Bess in the US.
Where was Bess most popular?
In 1910–1914, Bess was most common in Texas (0.42 per 1,000 girls), followed by New York and Oklahoma.