An uncommon Hebrew pick — distinctive and rare.
A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth.
Betty is a girl's and boy's baby name of Hebrew origin, a diminutive of Elizabeth, from the Hebrew Elisheba, meaning 'my God is an oath' or 'pledged to God.'
Betty was the #1 girl's name in the U.S. in the late 1920s — capturing the spirit of the Jazz Age and the golden era of Hollywood. Betty White and Betty Davis gave the name an enduring showbiz glamour that still charms today.
Betty climbed 445 spots in the last 20 years — from #1453 to #1008.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,067 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 1,742 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 1,445 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 2,638 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 5,163 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 11,707 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 38,396 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 103,204 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 194,622 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 300,408 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 283,097 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 44,894 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 7,921 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 3,196 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 1,519 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 253 | #1008 |
| 2023 | 202 | #1184 |
| 2022 | 210 | #1157 |
| 2021 | 205 | #1189 |
| 2020 | 197 | #1176 |
| 2019 | 162 | #1383 |
| 2018 | 216 | #1131 |
| 2017 | 177 | #1319 |
| 2016 | 179 | #1328 |
| 2015 | 192 | #1268 |
| 2014 | 196 | #1240 |
| 2013 | 177 | #1322 |
| 2012 | 141 | #1553 |
| 2011 | 167 | #1374 |
| 2010 | 135 | #1604 |
| 2009 | 150 | #1517 |
| 2008 | 141 | #1605 |
| 2007 | 134 | #1655 |
| 2006 | 138 | #1567 |
| 2005 | 135 | #1526 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Betty has also been given to 3,619 boys in the U.S. since 1904.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1880–2024) · Methodology