Bette Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BET //bɛt//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: God's promise; English: pledged
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Bette is a diminutive form of the name Elizabeth, which has its roots in the Hebrew name Elisheva, meaning "God is my oath." This name was transliterated into Greek as Elisabet and subsequently into Latin as Elisabetha. The name made its way into Old French as Élisabeth before evolving into various forms in English, including Elizabeth and its diminutive Bette.
The transition into English occurred around the 12th century, during the Norman Conquest, when many Norman names were adopted into the English language. Historically, Elizabeth has been borne by numerous significant figures, including Elizabeth I of England, who reigned from 1558 to 1603 and is often regarded as one of the most influential monarchs in English history.
The name has also appeared in biblical contexts, notably in the New Testament, where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist. The King James Bible, published in 1611, helped to solidify the name's presence in English-speaking cultures, as it was widely read and referenced.
Culturally, the name Bette and its parent form Elizabeth have been associated with themes of devotion and faithfulness, reflecting their etymological meanings. The name has also been linked to various saints, including Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, who lived in the 13th century and is celebrated for her charitable works.
The enduring nature of the name Bette, along with its variations, can be attributed to its rich historical significance and the positive connotations associated with its roots.
Famous people named Bette
In this section, you will find notable people named Bette. 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 Bette who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Bette 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.
Bette Davis is an actress best known for All About Eve, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and Jezebel.
Bette Midler is a singer, actress, and comedian best known for The Rose, Hocus Pocus, and Beaches.
Fictional characters named Bette
The following list of fictional characters named Bette 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.
Bette Porter is a fictional character from the TV series The L Word. She is a prominent art curator and one of the main characters navigating relationships and personal challenges within the LGBTQ+ community.
Bette Davis is a fictional character from the film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. She is a former child star who becomes increasingly unhinged as she cares for her sister in their decaying mansion.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Bette, 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 Bette. 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 Bette was first seen in the United States in 1896.
Bette has ranked as high as #257 nationally, which occurred in 1924, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, California, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Bette has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Bette 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 Bette 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 Bette.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 2023 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2018 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 2016 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 2015 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2013 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2010 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2009 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2001 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1999 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1994 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1993 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1992 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1991 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1990 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1989 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1988 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1987 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1986 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1985 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1984 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1983 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1982 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1981 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1980 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 1979 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1978 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1977 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1976 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1975 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1974 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1973 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 1972 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 1971 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1970 | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| 1969 | 46 | 0 | 46 |
| 1968 | 44 | 0 | 44 |
| 1967 | 55 | 0 | 55 |
| 1966 | 56 | 0 | 56 |
| 1965 | 75 | 0 | 75 |
| 1964 | 105 | 0 | 105 |
| 1963 | 101 | 0 | 101 |
| 1962 | 117 | 0 | 117 |
| 1961 | 146 | 0 | 146 |
| 1960 | 145 | 0 | 145 |
| 1959 | 191 | 0 | 191 |
| 1958 | 188 | 0 | 188 |
| 1957 | 267 | 0 | 267 |
| 1956 | 282 | 0 | 282 |
| 1955 | 339 | 0 | 339 |
| 1954 | 389 | 0 | 389 |
| 1953 | 444 | 0 | 444 |
| 1952 | 384 | 0 | 384 |
| 1951 | 495 | 0 | 495 |
| 1950 | 459 | 0 | 459 |
| 1949 | 570 | 0 | 570 |
| 1948 | 581 | 0 | 581 |
| 1947 | 739 | 0 | 739 |
| 1946 | 732 | 0 | 732 |
| 1945 | 640 | 0 | 640 |
| 1944 | 691 | 0 | 691 |
| 1943 | 769 | 0 | 769 |
| 1942 | 836 | 0 | 836 |
| 1941 | 747 | 0 | 747 |
| 1940 | 734 | 5 | 729 |
| 1939 | 736 | 0 | 736 |
| 1938 | 742 | 0 | 742 |
| 1937 | 685 | 0 | 685 |
| 1936 | 717 | 0 | 717 |
| 1935 | 658 | 0 | 658 |
| 1934 | 746 | 5 | 741 |
| 1933 | 855 | 0 | 855 |
| 1932 | 772 | 0 | 772 |
| 1931 | 709 | 0 | 709 |
| 1930 | 774 | 0 | 774 |
| 1929 | 890 | 6 | 884 |
| 1928 | 1,000 | 0 | 1,000 |
| 1927 | 1,189 | 0 | 1,189 |
| 1926 | 1,381 | 0 | 1,381 |
| 1925 | 1,592 | 0 | 1,592 |
| 1924 | 1,742 | 6 | 1,736 |
| 1923 | 1,693 | 0 | 1,693 |
| 1922 | 1,482 | 0 | 1,482 |
| 1921 | 1,316 | 0 | 1,316 |
| 1920 | 1,000 | 0 | 1,000 |
| 1919 | 718 | 0 | 718 |
| 1918 | 582 | 0 | 582 |
| 1917 | 387 | 0 | 387 |
| 1916 | 230 | 0 | 230 |
| 1915 | 148 | 0 | 148 |
| 1914 | 82 | 0 | 82 |
| 1913 | 53 | 0 | 53 |
| 1912 | 38 | 0 | 38 |
| 1911 | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| 1910 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 1909 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 1908 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1907 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1906 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1904 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1903 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1902 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1901 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1900 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1899 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1897 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1896 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Top States for Bette (1970)
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 | 6 |