This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Pet form of Elizabeth: 'God is my oath'
- Origin
- English (diminutive of Elizabeth)
- Gender
- Used for both boys and girls
- Pronunciation
- BET-ee
Betty is a diminutive of Elizabeth, carrying the same meaning: 'God is my oath.' It's an English name that started out as a nickname before standing on its own. SSA records for Betty stretch all the way back to 1880, giving it a long documented history in the United States.
Meaning & Origin of Betty
Meaning: Pet form of Elizabeth: 'God is my oath'.
Origin: English (diminutive of Elizabeth).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Betty
BET-eeIPA /ˈbɛti/
Popularity of Betty
Betty peaked in 1928, ranking #2 in the country with 36,083 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had fallen to #1008, with only 253 babies named Betty.
Names Like Betty
These names have followed a similar path to Betty in U.S. popularity over the years.
FAQ
What does the name Betty mean?
Pet form of Elizabeth: ‘God is my oath’. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Betty?
Betty is pronounced BET-ee (IPA: /ˈbɛti/).
Is Betty a popular name right now?
Betty peaked at #2 in 1928 and is ranked #1008 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
Make Betty Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Betty, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Betty? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
