Betty
Betty was the 1113th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 212 babies. Its best year was 1928, when it ranked 2nd; the most babies were born in 1930 (38,240). Over the last ten years it has moved up 155 places. More babies were named Betty in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Meaning pet form of Elizabeth · English, Hebrew
Say it BET-ee /ˈbɛti/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,113 girls, up 62 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 212girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 193038,240 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,004,857babies recorded
What does the name Betty mean?
Betty is a pet form of Elizabeth, as Wiktionary notes, formed from Bet or Bett with the -y ending. Elizabeth comes from Hebrew Elisheva, usually explained as 'my God is an oath'. Betty was common in 18th-century England and became one of the most popular American girls' names of the 1920s and 1930s, the era of actress Bette Davis and cartoon character Betty Boop.
אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Elisheva) (Biblical Hebrew, “my God is an oath”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Elizabeth, Bette, Betsy, Beth, Bettie.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Betty', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Elizabeth', DMNES (Durham University)
Betty popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 3,619 since 1904.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,113 | 212 |
| 2020 | #1,175 | 198 |
| 2010 | #1,597 | 136 |
| 2000 | #1,150 | 176 |
| 1990 | #572 | 406 |
| 1980 | #359 | 658 |
| 1970 | #169 | 1,966 |
| 1960 | #68 | 6,501 |
| 1950 | #26 | 13,615 |
| 1940 | #5 | 22,077 |
| 1930 | #2 | 38,240 |
| 1920 | #11 | 14,016 |
| 1910 | #69 | 1,389 |
| 1900 | #100 | 665 |
| 1890 | #164 | 216 |
| 1880 | #136 | 117 |
How popular is Betty, counting every spelling?
Betty is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,023 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,113 for Betty on its own. Together these spellings went to 230 girls in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Betty?
212 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Betty (0.06 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Betty 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 40 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Betty.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Betty?
About 310,100 people born in the US named Betty are alive today, with a median age of 78; half are between 70 and 85. That makes Betty a name most people associate with older generations.
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.
Betty by state
How common Betty was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Missouri (2.8×), Utah (2.6×), Minnesota (1.9×), Ohio (1.7×), Washington (1.7×). In 23 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 Betty: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Betty, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Betty · Sibling names for Betty
Betty is also a nickname for Elizabeth.
Questions about the name Betty
What does Betty mean?
Betty means “pet form of Elizabeth” (English, Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Betty?
Betty was the 1113th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 212 babies. Its best year was 1928, when it ranked 2nd; the most babies were born in 1930 (38,240). Over the last ten years it has moved up 155 places. More babies were named Betty in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Is Betty a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Betty in the US.
Where is Betty most popular?
In 2021–2025, Betty was most common in Missouri (0.37 per 1,000 girls), followed by Utah and Minnesota.