The first name Betty
A girl’s name.
Pronounced /ˈbɛti/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth.
Betty is a short form of
.From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 108 girls were named Betty, making it the 391st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2015, with 135 births (#349).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Betty with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Betty at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 212 girls born in the United States were named Betty, the 1,113th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1930, when 38,240 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Betty in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Betty
94 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Betty WhiteAmerican actress and comedian (1922–2021)
- Betty FordFirst Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977
- Betty FriedanAmerican feminist writer and activist (1921–2006)
- Betty GrableAmerican actress and pin-up girl (1916–1973)
- Betty HuttonAmerican actress (1921–2007)
- Betty CuthbertAustralian sprinter (1938–2017)
- Betty CompsonAmerican actress (1897–1974)
- Betty HeidlerGerman hammer thrower, born 1983
- Betty GarrettAmerican actress, comedian, singer, and dancer (1919–2011)
- Betty GilpinAmerican actress, born 1986
- Betty HolbertonAmerican computer programmer (1917–2001)
- Betty BuckleyAmerican actress and singer, born 1947
Questions
- How popular is the name Betty?
- In 2025, 108 girls born in England and Wales were named Betty, ranking 391st. Its peak was 2015, with 135 births.
- Is Betty a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 1,004,857 US babies named Betty since 1880 were girls.
- When was Betty most popular?
- 1930 in the United States, when 38,240 babies were named Betty, its highest rank at 2nd.
- How do you pronounce Betty?
- Betty is /ˈbɛti/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Betty?
- Bette.
- Is Betty also a surname?
- Yes. Betty is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.