Fun Facts About the Name Beth
- A favorite of earlier generations: Beth appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 15 years. Its last run lasted 1 consecutive years, from 1977 through 1977.
- More than 159 thousand babies named Beth: U.S. records list 159,755 babies given the name Beth from 1880 through 2025. Even 325 boys received the name Beth - about 1 boy for every 491 girls.
What Does the Name Beth Mean?
Beth is most often an English short form of Elizabeth. Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew name Elisheva (אֱלִישֶׁבַע), which is commonly explained as "God is my oath." The first element is El, "God"; the second element, sheva, is often understood as "oath," though some connect it with "seven" or "abundance." The exact nuance of the Hebrew is debated, but the customary English meaning is "God is my oath."
The Hebrew word bet (בֵּית) means "house" and appears in place names such as Bethlehem and Bethel. That word is a separate source from Elizabeth and is not the usual basis of the English given name Beth.
Beth Name History & Origins
Elizabeth reached English through Greek Elisabet and Latin Elisabeth, both forms of Hebrew Elisheva. The full name was used in medieval England and was later borne by queens, including Elizabeth I. Beth developed as one of several English pet forms of Elizabeth, along with Bess, Betsy, and Betty. It is formed from the second syllable of the full name.
Beth is also used as a short form of Bethany, a New Testament place name near Jerusalem. The meaning of Bethany is uncertain, and the two names are otherwise unrelated. In Hebrew, bet is the name of the second letter of the alphabet and means "house," but that is not the source of the English pet form Beth.
Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women (1868) includes Beth March, a well-known literary character who bears the name. The name has been used both as a nickname for Elizabeth and Bethany and as an independent given name in English.
How Popular is the Name Beth?
Beth recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1961. Beth ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1958 through 1971, then returned in 1977 and remained through 1977.
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 | #3,405 | 45 | 0.0028% |
| 2024 | #3,046 | 53 | 0.0033% |
| 2023 | #4,473 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #3,773 | 40 | 0.0024% |
| 2021 | #3,117 | 52 | 0.0032% |
| 2020 | #3,506 | 43 | 0.0027% |
| 2019 | #4,267 | 33 | 0.0020% |
| 2018 | #3,406 | 46 | 0.0027% |
| 2017 | #3,925 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 2016 | #3,861 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2015 | #3,540 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 2014 | #3,495 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 2013 | #4,173 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2012 | #3,425 | 47 | 0.0027% |
| 2011 | #3,312 | 49 | 0.0028% |
| 2010 | #4,121 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2009 | #3,882 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 2008 | #2,664 | 69 | 0.0036% |
| 2007 | #2,933 | 61 | 0.0032% |
| 2006 | #2,251 | 85 | 0.0045% |
| 2005 | #2,872 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 2004 | #1,835 | 103 | 0.0056% |
| 2003 | #1,814 | 103 | 0.0056% |
| 2002 | #1,709 | 107 | 0.0060% |
| 2001 | #1,258 | 156 | 0.0087% |
| 2000 | #1,231 | 161 | 0.0089% |
| 1999 | #1,128 | 175 | 0.0099% |
| 1998 | #1,029 | 193 | 0.0109% |
| 1997 | #858 | 238 | 0.0137% |
| 1996 | #835 | 239 | 0.0136% |
| 1995 | #724 | 282 | 0.0160% |
| 1994 | #673 | 315 | 0.0176% |
| 1993 | #645 | 346 | 0.0191% |
| 1992 | #515 | 462 | 0.0251% |
| 1991 | #456 | 544 | 0.0290% |
| 1990 | #392 | 663 | 0.0349% |
| 1989 | #375 | 677 | 0.0367% |
| 1988 | #289 | 862 | 0.0484% |
| 1987 | #267 | 930 | 0.0535% |
| 1986 | #228 | 1,135 | 0.0662% |
| 1985 | #199 | 1,341 | 0.0779% |
| 1984 | #167 | 1,632 | 0.0969% |
| 1983 | #169 | 1,635 | 0.0979% |
| 1982 | #148 | 2,003 | 0.1183% |
| 1981 | #125 | 2,310 | 0.1385% |
| 1980 | #106 | 2,848 | 0.1715% |
| 1979 | #118 | 2,688 | 0.1674% |
| 1978 | #107 | 2,740 | 0.1789% |
| 1977 | #97 | 2,968 | 0.1936% |
| 1976 | #114 | 2,306 | 0.1574% |
| 1975 | #120 | 2,324 | 0.1594% |
| 1974 | #117 | 2,523 | 0.1719% |
| 1973 | #117 | 2,563 | 0.1758% |
| 1972 | #113 | 2,817 | 0.1852% |
| 1971 | #100 | 3,686 | 0.2215% |
| 1970 | #92 | 4,247 | 0.2429% |
| 1969 | #82 | 4,460 | 0.2644% |
| 1968 | #74 | 4,767 | 0.2906% |
| 1967 | #67 | 5,184 | 0.3140% |
| 1966 | #65 | 5,444 | 0.3217% |
| 1965 | #66 | 5,774 | 0.3271% |
| 1964 | #65 | 6,686 | 0.3529% |
| 1963 | #66 | 6,676 | 0.3464% |
| 1962 | #66 | 6,419 | 0.3264% |
| 1961 | #65 | 6,716 | 0.3327% |
| 1960 | #72 | 6,257 | 0.3095% |
| 1959 | #80 | 6,068 | 0.2999% |
| 1958 | #95 | 4,979 | 0.2475% |
| 1957 | #108 | 4,351 | 0.2128% |
| 1956 | #117 | 3,798 | 0.1892% |
| 1955 | #133 | 3,272 | 0.1673% |
| 1954 | #130 | 3,034 | 0.1562% |
| 1953 | #142 | 2,564 | 0.1363% |
| 1952 | #146 | 2,360 | 0.1273% |
| 1951 | #156 | 1,980 | 0.1099% |
| 1950 | #177 | 1,580 | 0.0922% |
| 1949 | #201 | 1,357 | 0.0793% |
| 1948 | #224 | 1,087 | 0.0640% |
| 1947 | #217 | 1,179 | 0.0665% |
| 1946 | #232 | 962 | 0.0612% |
| 1945 | #234 | 806 | 0.0617% |
| 1944 | #240 | 750 | 0.0565% |
| 1943 | #241 | 785 | 0.0563% |
| 1942 | #268 | 664 | 0.0492% |
| 1941 | #260 | 601 | 0.0497% |
| 1940 | #290 | 470 | 0.0411% |
| 1939 | #278 | 501 | 0.0457% |
| 1938 | #310 | 406 | 0.0368% |
| 1937 | #322 | 371 | 0.0349% |
| 1936 | #350 | 326 | 0.0313% |
| 1935 | #345 | 343 | 0.0327% |
| 1934 | #343 | 343 | 0.0328% |
| 1933 | #403 | 256 | 0.0254% |
| 1932 | #393 | 276 | 0.0259% |
| 1931 | #417 | 238 | 0.0224% |
| 1930 | #414 | 251 | 0.0223% |
| 1929 | #408 | 262 | 0.0235% |
| 1928 | #396 | 290 | 0.0251% |
| 1927 | #388 | 310 | 0.0260% |
| 1926 | #373 | 329 | 0.0278% |
| 1925 | #384 | 315 | 0.0259% |
| 1924 | #380 | 319 | 0.0255% |
| 1923 | #393 | 287 | 0.0238% |
| 1922 | #387 | 284 | 0.0236% |
| 1921 | #347 | 356 | 0.0289% |
| 1920 | #349 | 349 | 0.0291% |
| 1919 | #338 | 355 | 0.0314% |
| 1918 | #354 | 335 | 0.0289% |
| 1917 | #363 | 298 | 0.0276% |
| 1916 | #364 | 285 | 0.0273% |
| 1915 | #414 | 209 | 0.0212% |
| 1914 | #401 | 173 | 0.0227% |
| 1913 | #436 | 129 | 0.0207% |
| 1912 | #419 | 123 | 0.0220% |
| 1911 | #565 | 57 | 0.0136% |
| 1910 | #517 | 63 | 0.0159% |
| 1909 | #509 | 54 | 0.0156% |
| 1908 | #521 | 49 | 0.0147% |
| 1907 | #625 | 36 | 0.0113% |
| 1906 | #646 | 31 | 0.0105% |
| 1905 | #780 | 22 | 0.0075% |
| 1904 | #629 | 30 | 0.0109% |
| 1903 | #574 | 32 | 0.0122% |
| 1902 | #623 | 28 | 0.0106% |
| 1901 | #662 | 23 | 0.0096% |
| 1900 | #658 | 29 | 0.0097% |
| 1899 | #526 | 32 | 0.0137% |
| 1898 | #699 | 22 | 0.0085% |
| 1897 | #584 | 27 | 0.0115% |
| 1896 | #566 | 29 | 0.0122% |
| 1895 | #660 | 22 | 0.0094% |
| 1894 | #597 | 24 | 0.0108% |
| 1893 | #536 | 27 | 0.0127% |
| 1892 | #687 | 18 | 0.0085% |
| 1891 | #525 | 24 | 0.0129% |
| 1890 | #694 | 15 | 0.0079% |
| 1889 | #486 | 26 | 0.0146% |
| 1888 | #967 | 8 | 0.0045% |
| 1887 | #695 | 11 | 0.0075% |
| 1886 | #542 | 17 | 0.0118% |
| 1885 | #750 | 9 | 0.0068% |
| 1884 | #940 | 6 | 0.0047% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | #8,027 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1987 | #5,519 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #6,009 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #5,861 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,977 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #4,185 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #3,873 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #4,449 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #3,883 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #3,871 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #3,496 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #3,984 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #3,880 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #4,101 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #3,653 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #4,003 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #2,749 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1969 | #3,083 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #2,212 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1967 | #2,042 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #1,895 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1965 | #2,381 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1964 | #2,428 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1963 | #1,845 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1962 | #2,386 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #2,155 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1960 | #2,697 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #2,430 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1958 | #2,523 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1957 | #3,040 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #2,992 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1955 | #2,985 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1954 | #3,197 | 7 | 0.0003% |
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 Beth
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.
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How the Name Beth 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.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Beth's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Beth's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.