Fun Facts About the Name Bessie
- An established favorite: Bessie held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 48 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1927.
- More than 170 thousand babies named Bessie: U.S. records list 170,876 babies given the name Bessie from 1880 through 2025. Even 737 boys received the name Bessie - about 1 boy for every 231 girls.
What Does the Name Bessie Mean?
Bessie is an English pet form of Elizabeth, a name of Hebrew origin traditionally understood to mean "God is my oath." It derives from the Hebrew Elisheva (אֱלִישֶׁבַע), formed from El ("God") and a second element associated with an oath. The exact sense of that second element is debated; another common explanation is "God is abundance." Because Bessie is a diminutive rather than an independent coinage, it carries Elizabeth's meaning rather than a separate etymology.
Bessie Name History & Origins
Elizabeth entered English through Old French and Latin from Greek Elisabet, which came from Hebrew Elisheva. In English, Elizabeth produced many short forms, including Bess, Bessie, Betty, Eliza, and Libby. Bessie was formed from Bess with the affectionate suffix -ie, a common pattern in English pet names. It was used as an everyday form of Elizabeth and later as a given name in its own right.
The name appears in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (1847) as Bessie Lee, the nursemaid at Gateshead; this is a literary use, not the name's origin. Bessie Smith, the American blues singer, is a later well-known bearer.
How Popular is the Name Bessie?
Bessie remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1927. Its highest annual birth count was in 1916, and people born that year turn 110 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,889 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #9,630 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #7,301 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #8,108 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2021 | #6,733 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #6,970 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2019 | #9,215 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #10,696 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #8,882 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2016 | #11,962 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #9,578 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #9,634 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #7,101 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #8,706 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #11,317 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #12,454 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #11,601 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #8,185 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2007 | #8,160 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #6,626 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2005 | #7,564 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #12,959 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #7,261 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2002 | #4,397 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2001 | #4,580 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2000 | #3,995 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1999 | #5,059 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1998 | #4,152 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1997 | #3,557 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1996 | #3,638 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1995 | #3,987 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1994 | #3,108 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1993 | #4,274 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1992 | #2,489 | 51 | 0.0028% |
| 1991 | #2,076 | 65 | 0.0035% |
| 1990 | #1,906 | 73 | 0.0038% |
| 1989 | #2,075 | 60 | 0.0033% |
| 1988 | #2,153 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1987 | #1,920 | 59 | 0.0034% |
| 1986 | #1,751 | 66 | 0.0038% |
| 1985 | #1,461 | 85 | 0.0049% |
| 1984 | #1,616 | 68 | 0.0040% |
| 1983 | #1,647 | 67 | 0.0040% |
| 1982 | #1,375 | 89 | 0.0053% |
| 1981 | #1,254 | 103 | 0.0062% |
| 1980 | #1,288 | 99 | 0.0060% |
| 1979 | #1,261 | 101 | 0.0063% |
| 1978 | #1,314 | 91 | 0.0059% |
| 1977 | #1,283 | 92 | 0.0060% |
| 1976 | #1,122 | 106 | 0.0072% |
| 1975 | #957 | 131 | 0.0090% |
| 1974 | #1,033 | 116 | 0.0079% |
| 1973 | #990 | 120 | 0.0082% |
| 1972 | #863 | 149 | 0.0098% |
| 1971 | #927 | 140 | 0.0084% |
| 1970 | #844 | 160 | 0.0092% |
| 1969 | #823 | 156 | 0.0092% |
| 1968 | #794 | 159 | 0.0097% |
| 1967 | #717 | 186 | 0.0113% |
| 1966 | #686 | 202 | 0.0119% |
| 1965 | #579 | 273 | 0.0155% |
| 1964 | #581 | 290 | 0.0153% |
| 1963 | #574 | 293 | 0.0152% |
| 1962 | #536 | 330 | 0.0168% |
| 1961 | #556 | 318 | 0.0158% |
| 1960 | #493 | 385 | 0.0190% |
| 1959 | #486 | 396 | 0.0196% |
| 1958 | #451 | 443 | 0.0220% |
| 1957 | #435 | 465 | 0.0227% |
| 1956 | #396 | 518 | 0.0258% |
| 1955 | #381 | 533 | 0.0273% |
| 1954 | #331 | 652 | 0.0336% |
| 1953 | #322 | 650 | 0.0346% |
| 1952 | #297 | 729 | 0.0393% |
| 1951 | #284 | 762 | 0.0423% |
| 1950 | #270 | 794 | 0.0463% |
| 1949 | #241 | 946 | 0.0553% |
| 1948 | #236 | 998 | 0.0588% |
| 1947 | #233 | 1,012 | 0.0571% |
| 1946 | #225 | 1,022 | 0.0650% |
| 1945 | #190 | 1,075 | 0.0822% |
| 1944 | #189 | 1,122 | 0.0845% |
| 1943 | #190 | 1,148 | 0.0823% |
| 1942 | #176 | 1,266 | 0.0937% |
| 1941 | #173 | 1,176 | 0.0973% |
| 1940 | #162 | 1,297 | 0.1134% |
| 1939 | #158 | 1,361 | 0.1241% |
| 1938 | #155 | 1,419 | 0.1286% |
| 1937 | #143 | 1,550 | 0.1457% |
| 1936 | #136 | 1,645 | 0.1581% |
| 1935 | #129 | 1,756 | 0.1675% |
| 1934 | #128 | 1,831 | 0.1753% |
| 1933 | #117 | 1,881 | 0.1866% |
| 1932 | #117 | 2,094 | 0.1962% |
| 1931 | #113 | 2,116 | 0.1987% |
| 1930 | #108 | 2,382 | 0.2116% |
| 1929 | #107 | 2,380 | 0.2132% |
| 1928 | #101 | 2,661 | 0.2307% |
| 1927 | #88 | 2,975 | 0.2495% |
| 1926 | #89 | 3,054 | 0.2576% |
| 1925 | #87 | 3,266 | 0.2683% |
| 1924 | #86 | 3,404 | 0.2726% |
| 1923 | #81 | 3,387 | 0.2808% |
| 1922 | #81 | 3,447 | 0.2870% |
| 1921 | #75 | 3,678 | 0.2983% |
| 1920 | #71 | 3,906 | 0.3260% |
| 1919 | #59 | 4,106 | 0.3633% |
| 1918 | #61 | 4,101 | 0.3543% |
| 1917 | #61 | 3,927 | 0.3632% |
| 1916 | #56 | 4,122 | 0.3947% |
| 1915 | #57 | 3,888 | 0.3952% |
| 1914 | #55 | 3,260 | 0.4281% |
| 1913 | #47 | 2,952 | 0.4727% |
| 1912 | #43 | 2,832 | 0.5074% |
| 1911 | #40 | 2,279 | 0.5448% |
| 1910 | #37 | 2,392 | 0.6033% |
| 1909 | #35 | 2,276 | 0.6555% |
| 1908 | #34 | 2,201 | 0.6584% |
| 1907 | #30 | 2,311 | 0.7254% |
| 1906 | #21 | 2,396 | 0.8114% |
| 1905 | #20 | 2,446 | 0.8388% |
| 1904 | #21 | 2,340 | 0.8498% |
| 1903 | #21 | 2,339 | 0.8929% |
| 1902 | #19 | 2,448 | 0.9270% |
| 1901 | #21 | 2,183 | 0.9121% |
| 1900 | #15 | 3,044 | 1.0154% |
| 1899 | #19 | 2,280 | 0.9784% |
| 1898 | #16 | 2,647 | 1.0229% |
| 1897 | #17 | 2,407 | 1.0278% |
| 1896 | #18 | 2,435 | 1.0235% |
| 1895 | #15 | 2,542 | 1.0881% |
| 1894 | #13 | 2,520 | 1.1304% |
| 1893 | #15 | 2,352 | 1.1047% |
| 1892 | #13 | 2,541 | 1.1967% |
| 1891 | #12 | 2,323 | 1.2524% |
| 1890 | #11 | 2,370 | 1.2449% |
| 1889 | #9 | 2,343 | 1.3136% |
| 1888 | #10 | 2,278 | 1.2753% |
| 1887 | #13 | 1,838 | 1.2591% |
| 1886 | #12 | 1,791 | 1.2392% |
| 1885 | #13 | 1,588 | 1.1935% |
| 1884 | #15 | 1,451 | 1.1246% |
| 1883 | #18 | 1,241 | 1.1049% |
| 1882 | #18 | 1,144 | 1.0608% |
| 1881 | #22 | 903 | 0.9820% |
| 1880 | #23 | 796 | 0.8748% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | #3,998 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1949 | #3,049 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #3,726 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,570 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1942 | #3,251 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #2,345 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1940 | #3,162 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1939 | #2,174 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1938 | #1,749 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1937 | #2,503 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #2,072 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1935 | #1,545 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1934 | #2,137 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1933 | #1,715 | 17 | 0.0017% |
| 1932 | #2,479 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1931 | #1,778 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1930 | #1,536 | 23 | 0.0021% |
| 1929 | #1,677 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1928 | #1,419 | 27 | 0.0024% |
| 1927 | #2,049 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1926 | #1,435 | 26 | 0.0023% |
| 1925 | #2,206 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #1,729 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1923 | #2,240 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1922 | #1,508 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1921 | #2,511 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1920 | #2,234 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1919 | #2,396 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1918 | #2,007 | 16 | 0.0016% |
| 1917 | #1,909 | 16 | 0.0017% |
| 1916 | #2,565 | 10 | 0.0011% |
| 1915 | #1,887 | 15 | 0.0018% |
| 1914 | #1,881 | 12 | 0.0018% |
| 1913 | #1,450 | 14 | 0.0027% |
| 1912 | #1,184 | 16 | 0.0037% |
| 1911 | #1,201 | 9 | 0.0040% |
| 1910 | #936 | 12 | 0.0062% |
| 1909 | #846 | 12 | 0.0073% |
| 1908 | #1,393 | 5 | 0.0032% |
| 1907 | #822 | 11 | 0.0075% |
| 1906 | #1,017 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1905 | #844 | 9 | 0.0068% |
| 1904 | #1,225 | 5 | 0.0039% |
| 1903 | #580 | 15 | 0.0126% |
| 1902 | #943 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1901 | #638 | 11 | 0.0103% |
| 1900 | #790 | 11 | 0.0073% |
| 1898 | #1,020 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1897 | #951 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1896 | #647 | 12 | 0.0100% |
| 1895 | #884 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1894 | #522 | 15 | 0.0130% |
| 1893 | #775 | 8 | 0.0071% |
| 1892 | #605 | 12 | 0.0098% |
| 1891 | #712 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1889 | #804 | 7 | 0.0063% |
| 1888 | #580 | 12 | 0.0099% |
| 1887 | #943 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1886 | #981 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1885 | #770 | 7 | 0.0065% |
| 1884 | #984 | 5 | 0.0044% |
| 1882 | #656 | 9 | 0.0079% |
| 1881 | #658 | 8 | 0.0079% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Bessie
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
Established Favorite Girl Names
Explore More Lists with Name Bessie
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with B
How the Name Bessie Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Bessie's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Bessie's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.