Fun Facts About the Name Betty
- A favorite of earlier generations: Betty appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 61 years. Its last run lasted 60 consecutive years, from 1903 through 1962.
- More than 1 million babies named Betty: U.S. records list 1,004,850 babies given the name Betty from 1880 through 2025. Even 3,619 boys received the name Betty - about 1 boy for every 277 girls.
What Does the Name Betty Mean?
Betty is an English pet form of Elizabeth and takes its meaning from that name. Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Elisheva), built from אֵל (El, "God") and שֶׁבַע (sheva). Sheva is usually understood as "oath," so Elisheva is commonly translated "God is my oath." A related reading takes sheva as "seven," giving "my God is seven" or, by extension, "God is abundance." The sense of the second element is genuinely debated, so the familiar wording is a customary interpretation rather than a settled literal translation.
Betty has no separate root of its own. The short form Bet (also written Beth) is taken from the second syllable of Elizabeth, and the affectionate ending -y was added to it. The same Bet element, with other endings, yields Betsy, Bette, Bettie, and the elaborated Bettina.
Betty Name History & Origins
Elizabeth reached English through the Greek Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet) and the Latin Elisabeth, from the Hebrew name borne in the Gospel of Luke by the mother of John the Baptist. In medieval and early modern England it was one of the most common women's names, and it produced an unusually large group of pet forms, including Bess, Bessie, Beth, Betsy, Betty, Eliza, Libby, Lisa, and Liz. The ones beginning with B, such as Betty, come from the name's second syllable.
Betty served first as a familiar form of Elizabeth in England and later became established as a given name in its own right. It is also used in Dutch and German, and the spellings Bettie and Bette are common variants of the same name.
Modern fictional uses - such as the cartoon character Betty Boop, introduced in 1930, and Betty Cooper of the Archie Comics - are twentieth-century inventions and say nothing about where the name came from. In the same period Betty belonged to many public figures, among them the singer Betty Carter and the writer and activist Betty Friedan.
How Popular is the Name Betty?
Betty ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1900 through 1900, then returned in 1903 and remained through 1962.
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 | #1,113 | 212 | 0.0132% |
| 2024 | #1,008 | 253 | 0.0157% |
| 2023 | #1,184 | 202 | 0.0126% |
| 2022 | #1,157 | 210 | 0.0128% |
| 2021 | #1,189 | 205 | 0.0125% |
| 2020 | #1,176 | 197 | 0.0122% |
| 2019 | #1,383 | 162 | 0.0097% |
| 2018 | #1,131 | 216 | 0.0127% |
| 2017 | #1,319 | 177 | 0.0103% |
| 2016 | #1,328 | 179 | 0.0101% |
| 2015 | #1,268 | 192 | 0.0108% |
| 2014 | #1,240 | 196 | 0.0110% |
| 2013 | #1,322 | 177 | 0.0101% |
| 2012 | #1,553 | 141 | 0.0080% |
| 2011 | #1,374 | 167 | 0.0095% |
| 2010 | #1,604 | 135 | 0.0076% |
| 2009 | #1,517 | 150 | 0.0082% |
| 2008 | #1,605 | 141 | 0.0075% |
| 2007 | #1,655 | 134 | 0.0070% |
| 2006 | #1,567 | 138 | 0.0073% |
| 2005 | #1,526 | 135 | 0.0073% |
| 2004 | #1,453 | 140 | 0.0076% |
| 2003 | #1,365 | 148 | 0.0081% |
| 2002 | #1,480 | 129 | 0.0072% |
| 2001 | #1,277 | 154 | 0.0086% |
| 2000 | #1,150 | 176 | 0.0097% |
| 1999 | #1,089 | 183 | 0.0103% |
| 1998 | #1,011 | 197 | 0.0111% |
| 1997 | #1,019 | 189 | 0.0109% |
| 1996 | #904 | 217 | 0.0124% |
| 1995 | #830 | 236 | 0.0134% |
| 1994 | #754 | 276 | 0.0155% |
| 1993 | #728 | 292 | 0.0161% |
| 1992 | #722 | 296 | 0.0161% |
| 1991 | #642 | 346 | 0.0185% |
| 1990 | #572 | 406 | 0.0214% |
| 1989 | #561 | 399 | 0.0216% |
| 1988 | #552 | 395 | 0.0222% |
| 1987 | #497 | 436 | 0.0251% |
| 1986 | #510 | 408 | 0.0238% |
| 1985 | #437 | 502 | 0.0292% |
| 1984 | #423 | 504 | 0.0299% |
| 1983 | #389 | 564 | 0.0338% |
| 1982 | #364 | 635 | 0.0375% |
| 1981 | #354 | 662 | 0.0397% |
| 1980 | #359 | 658 | 0.0396% |
| 1979 | #331 | 710 | 0.0442% |
| 1978 | #321 | 714 | 0.0466% |
| 1977 | #293 | 808 | 0.0527% |
| 1976 | #262 | 908 | 0.0620% |
| 1975 | #237 | 1,021 | 0.0700% |
| 1974 | #228 | 1,131 | 0.0771% |
| 1973 | #196 | 1,322 | 0.0907% |
| 1972 | #204 | 1,364 | 0.0897% |
| 1971 | #175 | 1,764 | 0.1060% |
| 1970 | #169 | 1,965 | 0.1124% |
| 1969 | #154 | 2,135 | 0.1266% |
| 1968 | #153 | 2,133 | 0.1300% |
| 1967 | #137 | 2,543 | 0.1540% |
| 1966 | #121 | 2,946 | 0.1741% |
| 1965 | #103 | 3,567 | 0.2021% |
| 1964 | #102 | 4,070 | 0.2148% |
| 1963 | #104 | 4,154 | 0.2155% |
| 1962 | #97 | 4,764 | 0.2422% |
| 1961 | #87 | 5,583 | 0.2766% |
| 1960 | #68 | 6,501 | 0.3215% |
| 1959 | #59 | 7,313 | 0.3614% |
| 1958 | #54 | 7,715 | 0.3835% |
| 1957 | #50 | 8,479 | 0.4147% |
| 1956 | #44 | 9,218 | 0.4591% |
| 1955 | #36 | 9,925 | 0.5076% |
| 1954 | #36 | 10,620 | 0.5469% |
| 1953 | #33 | 11,369 | 0.6043% |
| 1952 | #32 | 12,129 | 0.6541% |
| 1951 | #29 | 12,822 | 0.7120% |
| 1950 | #26 | 13,614 | 0.7947% |
| 1949 | #22 | 14,937 | 0.8731% |
| 1948 | #18 | 16,625 | 0.9791% |
| 1947 | #17 | 18,964 | 1.0697% |
| 1946 | #14 | 19,710 | 1.2544% |
| 1945 | #11 | 18,390 | 1.4069% |
| 1944 | #10 | 19,760 | 1.4888% |
| 1943 | #10 | 21,596 | 1.5478% |
| 1942 | #9 | 21,659 | 1.6035% |
| 1941 | #7 | 20,904 | 1.7303% |
| 1940 | #5 | 22,077 | 1.9306% |
| 1939 | #4 | 23,642 | 2.1559% |
| 1938 | #4 | 25,505 | 2.3114% |
| 1937 | #5 | 25,337 | 2.3812% |
| 1936 | #4 | 25,867 | 2.4863% |
| 1935 | #4 | 28,675 | 2.7347% |
| 1934 | #2 | 31,088 | 2.9771% |
| 1933 | #2 | 31,531 | 3.1283% |
| 1932 | #2 | 34,420 | 3.2254% |
| 1931 | #2 | 36,105 | 3.3910% |
| 1930 | #2 | 38,238 | 3.3962% |
| 1929 | #2 | 36,677 | 3.2848% |
| 1928 | #2 | 36,083 | 3.1286% |
| 1927 | #3 | 35,423 | 2.9706% |
| 1926 | #3 | 32,964 | 2.7808% |
| 1925 | #3 | 32,812 | 2.6953% |
| 1924 | #4 | 30,600 | 2.4502% |
| 1923 | #5 | 25,990 | 2.1544% |
| 1922 | #6 | 20,894 | 1.7397% |
| 1921 | #8 | 17,638 | 1.4304% |
| 1920 | #11 | 14,016 | 1.1697% |
| 1919 | #15 | 10,106 | 0.8942% |
| 1918 | #21 | 8,803 | 0.7604% |
| 1917 | #34 | 6,639 | 0.6140% |
| 1916 | #44 | 5,136 | 0.4918% |
| 1915 | #53 | 4,181 | 0.4250% |
| 1914 | #62 | 2,933 | 0.3851% |
| 1913 | #67 | 2,240 | 0.3587% |
| 1912 | #66 | 2,011 | 0.3603% |
| 1911 | #69 | 1,456 | 0.3481% |
| 1910 | #69 | 1,389 | 0.3503% |
| 1909 | #77 | 1,082 | 0.3116% |
| 1908 | #72 | 1,128 | 0.3374% |
| 1907 | #77 | 1,018 | 0.3196% |
| 1906 | #81 | 865 | 0.2929% |
| 1905 | #85 | 807 | 0.2767% |
| 1904 | #91 | 707 | 0.2568% |
| 1903 | #98 | 596 | 0.2275% |
| 1902 | #101 | 580 | 0.2196% |
| 1901 | #112 | 473 | 0.1976% |
| 1900 | #100 | 665 | 0.2218% |
| 1899 | #119 | 410 | 0.1759% |
| 1898 | #126 | 421 | 0.1627% |
| 1897 | #132 | 367 | 0.1567% |
| 1896 | #139 | 342 | 0.1437% |
| 1895 | #131 | 350 | 0.1498% |
| 1894 | #145 | 298 | 0.1337% |
| 1893 | #139 | 298 | 0.1400% |
| 1892 | #155 | 255 | 0.1201% |
| 1891 | #147 | 239 | 0.1289% |
| 1890 | #164 | 216 | 0.1135% |
| 1889 | #159 | 189 | 0.1060% |
| 1888 | #148 | 214 | 0.1198% |
| 1887 | #144 | 178 | 0.1219% |
| 1886 | #147 | 167 | 0.1155% |
| 1885 | #145 | 155 | 0.1165% |
| 1884 | #149 | 144 | 0.1116% |
| 1883 | #150 | 120 | 0.1068% |
| 1882 | #145 | 123 | 0.1141% |
| 1881 | #140 | 112 | 0.1218% |
| 1880 | #136 | 117 | 0.1286% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | #6,514 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #7,068 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #6,627 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #5,554 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #5,006 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #5,934 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #4,992 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #3,985 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #3,345 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #2,519 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1971 | #3,170 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #3,551 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #2,319 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1968 | #1,843 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1967 | #2,250 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #1,728 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1965 | #1,862 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1964 | #2,126 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1963 | #2,212 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1962 | #2,124 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1961 | #2,156 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1960 | #1,490 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 1959 | #1,723 | 22 | 0.0010% |
| 1958 | #1,399 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1957 | #1,413 | 31 | 0.0014% |
| 1956 | #1,318 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 1955 | #1,686 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1954 | #1,243 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1953 | #1,514 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1952 | #1,152 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 1951 | #1,153 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 1950 | #1,293 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1949 | #1,207 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1948 | #1,082 | 43 | 0.0025% |
| 1947 | #1,081 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1946 | #983 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 1945 | #784 | 62 | 0.0046% |
| 1944 | #722 | 74 | 0.0054% |
| 1943 | #677 | 89 | 0.0062% |
| 1942 | #592 | 111 | 0.0080% |
| 1941 | #537 | 121 | 0.0099% |
| 1940 | #551 | 115 | 0.0099% |
| 1939 | #498 | 130 | 0.0117% |
| 1938 | #552 | 110 | 0.0099% |
| 1937 | #524 | 122 | 0.0114% |
| 1936 | #529 | 116 | 0.0112% |
| 1935 | #461 | 151 | 0.0145% |
| 1934 | #430 | 170 | 0.0165% |
| 1933 | #443 | 156 | 0.0157% |
| 1932 | #429 | 169 | 0.0162% |
| 1931 | #459 | 151 | 0.0145% |
| 1930 | #476 | 156 | 0.0142% |
| 1929 | #510 | 133 | 0.0124% |
| 1928 | #560 | 119 | 0.0107% |
| 1927 | #607 | 105 | 0.0093% |
| 1926 | #660 | 91 | 0.0082% |
| 1925 | #703 | 84 | 0.0075% |
| 1924 | #818 | 68 | 0.0060% |
| 1923 | #915 | 56 | 0.0051% |
| 1922 | #1,224 | 35 | 0.0032% |
| 1921 | #1,180 | 37 | 0.0034% |
| 1920 | #1,510 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1919 | #1,758 | 19 | 0.0019% |
| 1918 | #1,659 | 21 | 0.0021% |
| 1917 | #2,753 | 9 | 0.0010% |
| 1916 | #2,951 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1915 | #2,320 | 11 | 0.0013% |
| 1914 | #2,119 | 10 | 0.0015% |
| 1913 | #2,534 | 6 | 0.0012% |
| 1910 | #1,614 | 5 | 0.0026% |
| 1909 | #1,473 | 5 | 0.0030% |
| 1908 | #1,128 | 7 | 0.0045% |
| 1907 | #1,364 | 5 | 0.0034% |
| 1905 | #1,253 | 5 | 0.0038% |
| 1904 | #890 | 8 | 0.0062% |
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 Betty
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 Betty 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 desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Betty's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Betty's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.