Is Bessie a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Bessie is commonly used as a Girl name.

How popular is Bessie?

It’s currently ranked #940 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

Bessie Boy

Popularity: — · Trend: → Stable

Origin(s)

PronunciationBESS-ee / /ˈbɛsi/

English; Hebrew

Meaning

English: God is my oath; Hebrew: pledged to God

Historical & Cultural Background

Bessie is often considered a diminutive of Elizabeth, which has roots in Hebrew. The name gained popularity in English-speaking countries during the 19th century. It has been used as a standalone name, particularly in the United States. Bessie was commonly associated with rural and pastoral imagery, especially in the early 20th century.

Trend Summary

Bessie has seen a decline in popularity in recent decades.

Variants

Bess
Betty

International Variants

Béatrice (French)
Elisabeth (German)
Isabel (Spanish)

Famous people named Bessie

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Fictional characters named Bessie

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Sibling Suggestions

Betty Lily Mabel Daisy Nellie Sadie

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Bessie was first seen in the United States in 1881. Bessie has ranked as high as #867 nationally, which occurred in 1928, and has been most popular in Alabama. In the past 5 years the name Bessie has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Bessie (1929)

State	Births	Share
AL	5	100%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1881	8
1882	9
1884	5
1885	7
1886	5
1887	5
1888	12
1889	7
1891	8
1892	12
1893	8
1894	15
1895	7
1896	12
1897	6
1898	6
1900	11
1901	11
1902	7
1903	15
1904	5
1905	9
1906	7
1907	11
1908	5
1909	12
1910	12
1911	9
1912	16
1913	14
1914	12
1915	15
1916	10
1917	16
1918	16
1919	12
1920	14
1921	12
1922	25
1923	14
1924	21
1925	14
1926	26
1927	16
1928	27
1929	20
1930	23
1931	17
1932	10
1933	17
1934	12
1935	20
1936	12
1937	9
1938	16
1939	11
1940	6
1941	10
1942	6
1946	5
1948	5
1949	7
1956	5