Bea Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BEE /biː/
Origin: Latin; French
Meaning: Latin: 'bringer of joy'; French: diminutive of Beatrice, meaning 'she who brings happiness'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Bea is derived from the Latin name Beatrix, which means "she who brings happiness" or "blessed." The name Beatrix itself has roots in the Latin verb "beare," meaning "to make happy" or "to bless." This name evolved through various forms, including the Old French "Beatrice," before being anglicized to Bea in English. The transition into English occurred during the Middle Ages, particularly as the Norman Conquest introduced many Latin-derived names into the English language, enriching its lexicon with names that carried positive connotations.
Historically, the name Beatrix has been borne by several notable figures, including Saint Beatrice, a 4th-century martyr whose veneration contributed to the name's popularity in medieval Europe. The name gained further prominence through literary works, such as Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy," where Beatrice serves as a symbol of divine love and guidance.
Additionally, the name was popularized in the Renaissance, particularly in Italy, and later spread throughout Europe, including England, where it was embraced by the nobility and commoners alike. Culturally, Bea and its variants have been associated with joy, virtue, and benevolence, making it a favored choice among parents seeking to convey positive attributes through their children's names.
The diminutive form Bea has a simple elegance, often used as a standalone name, reflecting the trend of shortening longer names for ease of use. This name has maintained its charm across centuries, resonating with themes of happiness and blessing, which have contributed to its enduring appeal in various cultures.
Famous people named Bea
In this section, you will find notable people named Bea. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Bea who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Bea who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Bea Arthur was an actress and comedian best known for The Golden Girls, Maude, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Bea Miller is a singer and songwriter best known for her albums Not an Apology, Aurora, and Chapter One: Blue.
Fictional characters named Bea
The following list of fictional characters named Bea is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Bea is a fictional character from the animated television series Beatrice and the Beast. She is a young girl who embarks on adventures in a magical world alongside her beastly friend.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Bea, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Bea. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Bea was first seen in the United States in 1883.
Bea has ranked as high as #3862 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Bea has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Bea is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Bea was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Bea.
| Year | Total Births | Girl |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 83 | 83 |
| 2024 | 89 | 89 |
| 2023 | 71 | 71 |
| 2022 | 63 | 63 |
| 2021 | 54 | 54 |
| 2020 | 50 | 50 |
| 2019 | 48 | 48 |
| 2018 | 50 | 50 |
| 2017 | 37 | 37 |
| 2016 | 48 | 48 |
| 2015 | 25 | 25 |
| 2014 | 39 | 39 |
| 2013 | 23 | 23 |
| 2012 | 22 | 22 |
| 2011 | 15 | 15 |
| 2010 | 18 | 18 |
| 2009 | 24 | 24 |
| 2008 | 20 | 20 |
| 2007 | 12 | 12 |
| 2006 | 18 | 18 |
| 2005 | 12 | 12 |
| 2004 | 7 | 7 |
| 2003 | 8 | 8 |
| 2001 | 10 | 10 |
| 2000 | 5 | 5 |
| 1998 | 8 | 8 |
| 1992 | 5 | 5 |
| 1983 | 8 | 8 |
| 1980 | 6 | 6 |
| 1977 | 11 | 11 |
| 1974 | 5 | 5 |
| 1972 | 6 | 6 |
| 1970 | 5 | 5 |
| 1969 | 5 | 5 |
| 1967 | 6 | 6 |
| 1966 | 10 | 10 |
| 1965 | 8 | 8 |
| 1964 | 18 | 18 |
| 1963 | 23 | 23 |
| 1962 | 30 | 30 |
| 1961 | 30 | 30 |
| 1960 | 32 | 32 |
| 1959 | 28 | 28 |
| 1958 | 26 | 26 |
| 1957 | 27 | 27 |
| 1956 | 20 | 20 |
| 1955 | 9 | 9 |
| 1954 | 9 | 9 |
| 1953 | 11 | 11 |
| 1952 | 10 | 10 |
| 1951 | 13 | 13 |
| 1950 | 16 | 16 |
| 1949 | 11 | 11 |
| 1948 | 28 | 28 |
| 1947 | 17 | 17 |
| 1946 | 27 | 27 |
| 1945 | 28 | 28 |
| 1944 | 20 | 20 |
| 1943 | 40 | 40 |
| 1942 | 31 | 31 |
| 1941 | 34 | 34 |
| 1940 | 26 | 26 |
| 1939 | 13 | 13 |
| 1938 | 38 | 38 |
| 1937 | 19 | 19 |
| 1936 | 28 | 28 |
| 1935 | 22 | 22 |
| 1934 | 14 | 14 |
| 1933 | 23 | 23 |
| 1932 | 15 | 15 |
| 1931 | 18 | 18 |
| 1930 | 26 | 26 |
| 1929 | 22 | 22 |
| 1928 | 11 | 11 |
| 1927 | 25 | 25 |
| 1926 | 23 | 23 |
| 1925 | 22 | 22 |
| 1924 | 20 | 20 |
| 1923 | 36 | 36 |
| 1922 | 18 | 18 |
| 1921 | 31 | 31 |
| 1920 | 20 | 20 |
| 1919 | 21 | 21 |
| 1918 | 30 | 30 |
| 1917 | 27 | 27 |
| 1916 | 21 | 21 |
| 1915 | 24 | 24 |
| 1914 | 28 | 28 |
| 1913 | 25 | 25 |
| 1912 | 17 | 17 |
| 1911 | 11 | 11 |
| 1910 | 20 | 20 |
| 1909 | 19 | 19 |
| 1908 | 22 | 22 |
| 1907 | 15 | 15 |
| 1906 | 13 | 13 |
| 1905 | 13 | 13 |
| 1904 | 7 | 7 |
| 1903 | 9 | 9 |
| 1902 | 8 | 8 |
| 1901 | 5 | 5 |
| 1900 | 6 | 6 |
| 1898 | 5 | 5 |
| 1897 | 6 | 6 |
| 1896 | 9 | 9 |
| 1894 | 7 | 7 |
| 1893 | 6 | 6 |
| 1892 | 5 | 5 |
| 1889 | 5 | 5 |
| 1888 | 6 | 6 |
| 1886 | 5 | 5 |
| 1883 | 5 | 5 |
Top States for Bea (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| NY | 9 | |
| CA | 8 | |
| TX | 7 |