girl's name
Elizabeth
ih-LIZ-uh-beth
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 4
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 1,786,693
the United States
#17
2025 births
Elizabeth is a girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my oath," from Elisheva, the name of Aaron's wife in the Book of Exodus. It has been borne by English queens since the sixteenth century and has produced more short forms than almost any other English name.
- Elizabeth is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1990, when 20,841 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 490 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Elizabeth over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. 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 | 25,113 |
| 1890s | 33,995 |
| 1900s | 41,843 |
| 1910s | 117,074 |
| 1920s | 140,106 |
| 1930s | 96,943 |
| 1940s | 116,909 |
| 1950s | 166,022 |
| 1960s | 169,465 |
| 1970s | 143,473 |
| 1980s | 199,972 |
| 1990s | 173,146 |
| 2000s | 133,802 |
| 2010s | 94,194 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 41,916 |
What Elizabeth means
Elizabeth means "God is my oath" or "pledged to God," built from the Hebrew El, meaning God, and a root connected with swearing an oath. It is a devotional name, declaring a commitment rather than describing the person who carries it.
Where Elizabeth comes from
Elizabeth descends from the Hebrew Elisheva, borne in the Book of Exodus by the wife of Aaron, and in the New Testament by the mother of John the Baptist. The name passed into Greek as Elisabet, then into Latin as Elisabeth, and from there across Christian Europe, splitting into forms as varied as Isabella in Spain, Elisabeth in Germany, and Yelizaveta in Russia. In England it became a royal name through Elizabeth I, who reigned from 1558, and again through Elizabeth II. Its length and long history have generated an unusual number of short forms — Beth, Betty, Eliza, Liz, Libby, Lisa, Elsie and Bess among them — several of which have since become independent names.
Elizabeth in use
Few names have produced as many separate given names from their own diminutives as Elizabeth has.
How popular is Elizabeth?
In 2025, Elizabeth was given to 6,765 babies in the United States, ranking #17 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Elizabeth is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Elizabeth is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Élizabeth | Élizabeth is a rare spelling of Elizabeth, written with an acute accent and recorded about 30 times, mostly in France. | 30 |
| Eliza-Beth | Eliza-Beth is Elizabeth written with a hyphen, recorded mostly in England and Wales. | 3 |
Names that peaked alongside Elizabeth
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Elizabeth also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Elizabeth over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
23 nicknames for Elizabeth
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Elizabeth — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Elizabeth
What does the name Elizabeth mean?
Elizabeth means "God is my oath," from the Hebrew Elisheva.
What are nicknames for Elizabeth?
Beth, Eliza, Libby, Liz, Betty, Bess and Elsie are all established short forms.
Is Elizabeth a biblical name?
Yes. Elisheva appears in Exodus as Aaron's wife, and Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist in the New Testament.
How popular is the name Elizabeth?
In 2025, Elizabeth was given to 6,765 babies in the United States, ranking #17 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Elizabeth a girl's or a boy's name?
Elizabeth is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Elizabeth?
Elizabeth has 4 syllables.
When was Elizabeth most popular?
Elizabeth peaked in 1990, when 20,841 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Elizabeth a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Elizabeth currently ranks #17 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.