Where does the name Betty come from?

Betty is a girl name of English origin.

Is Betty a boy or a girl name?

Betty is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Betty are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Betty in 2023?

Betty ranks #1187 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1930 with 38,396 babies.

How do you pronounce Betty?

Betty is pronounced BET-ee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Betty?

Betty is also written as Bettye, Bettie, Betti.

A name from English · Girl

Betty

A pet form of Elizabeth (Hebrew Elisheva, 'my God is an oath' or 'God of plenty'), used independently since the 18th century. Iconic of mid-century American womanhood.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

1,000,773 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

202 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

BA pet form of Elizabeth (Hebrew Elisheva, 'my God is an oath' or 'God of plenty'), used independently since the 18th century. Iconic of mid-century American womanhood.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Betty".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Bettye Most common Bettie Betti

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Betty.

B
Betty White (actress)
B
Betty Ford (First Lady)
B
Betty Boop (animated character)

Quick answers

People often ask about Betty.

What does the name Betty mean?: Betty means a pet form of Elizabeth (Hebrew Elisheva, 'my God is an oath' or 'God of plenty'), used independently since the 18th century. Iconic of mid-century American womanhood.
Where does the name Betty come from?: Betty is a girl name of English origin.
Is Betty a boy or a girl name?: Betty is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Betty are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Betty in 2023?: Betty ranks #1187 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1930 with 38,396 babies.
How do you pronounce Betty?: Betty is pronounced BET-ee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Betty?: Betty is also written as Bettye, Bettie, Betti.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.