girl's name
Betsy
BET-see
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 54,780
England and Wales
#178
2025 births
Betsy is a girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my oath." It is a pet form of Elizabeth, and its route there runs through Bess and Betty — three layers of familiarity on one Hebrew original.
- Betsy is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1959, when 1,390 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,895 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Betsy over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Betsy is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 166 |
| 1890s | 173 |
| 1900s | 189 |
| 1910s | 841 |
| 1920s | 2,551 |
| 1930s | 3,929 |
| 1940s | 6,985 |
| 1950s | 10,561 |
| 1960s | 8,563 |
| 1970s | 5,461 |
| 1980s | 4,059 |
| 1990s | 2,014 |
| 2000s | 1,805 |
| 2010s | 1,204 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 456 |
What Betsy means
Betsy means God is my oath, inherited unchanged from Elizabeth. The Hebrew Elisheva combines el, God, with sheva, oath or seven, the number carrying an association with swearing.
Where Betsy comes from
Betsy descends from Elizabeth by way of Bess and Betty, English pet forms that stack on one another. Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew Elisheva, God is my oath, borne by Aaron's wife and by the mother of John the Baptist. Elizabeth I was called Bess by her court, which is why the pet forms are so numerous. Betsy Ross, credited by nineteenth-century tradition with sewing the first American flag — a story with little documentary support — is its best-known bearer.
Betsy in use
Our data shows Betsy falling, peaking in 1959, at 178 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1880. It joins Isabel, Isabelle, Isabella, Elizabeth, Eliza and Ellie on this site — seven separately ranked entries from one Hebrew original, the largest such family in our data.
How popular is Betsy?
In 2025, Betsy was given to 278 babies in England and Wales, ranking #178 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Betsy is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Betsy
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Betsy also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Betsy over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Betsy in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Betsy
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Betsy — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Betsy
What does the name Betsy mean?
Betsy means "God is my oath," from the Hebrew Elisheva by way of Elizabeth.
Is Betsy short for Elizabeth?
Yes, through Bess and Betty — three layers of English pet form on one Hebrew name.
Why does Elizabeth have so many nicknames?
Its long dominance in England produced dozens — Bess, Betty, Betsy, Eliza, Elsie, Libby, Beth and Lisa among them.
How popular is the name Betsy?
In 2025, Betsy was given to 278 babies in England and Wales, ranking #178 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Betsy a girl's or a boy's name?
Betsy is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Betsy?
Betsy has 2 syllables.
When was Betsy most popular?
Betsy peaked in 1959, when 1,390 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Betsy a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Betsy currently ranks #178 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.