Betty is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Betty means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Betty across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Betty has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Betty is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning “my God is an oath”. a short form of Elizabeth.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,004,857 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,976 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 16 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 12 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 37 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Betty per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1930 (38,396/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2015 (135/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2021 (6/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2021 (4/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2014 (4/yr).
Betty has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1930, when it ranked #6 nationally (given to 38,396 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1930s.
Bette · Patty · Bettie · Bettye · Betti · Beata
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