Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Besse

Besse

♀ Girl

Pronounced BES-ee /ˈbΙ›s.i/Medium

Meaning: Besse is an old pet form of Elizabeth by way of Bess, the traditional short form. Elizabeth comes from Hebrew Elisheva, usually read 'my God is an oath' or 'God is abundance', a meaning Besse inherits as an affectionate diminutive.Medium

In 30 seconds: Besse is a vintage pet form of Elizabeth via Bess, from Hebrew for 'my God is an oath', said 'BES-ee'.
πŸ’• Browse more names
Origin MediumHebrew, English
MeaningBesse is an old pet form of Elizabeth by way of Bess, the traditional short form. Elizabeth comes from Hebrew Elisheva, usually read 'my God is an oath' or 'God is abundance', a meaning Besse inherits as an affectionate diminutive.
U.S. rank (1926)#3613 β†— Rising
1926 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1889
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 671

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 188918801926

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Besse is one of the many nineteenth-century American girls given a pet form of Elizabeth as their legal name. Through Bess it reaches back to Hebrew Elisheva, 'my God is an oath' or 'God is abundance', the same root behind Betsy, Bessie and Beth.

The name was already old-fashioned by the early twentieth century, peaking in the late eighteen-eighties and dwindling steadily afterward. Anyone named Besse would be of a great-great-grandmother's generation, and the spelling has not been part of the recent vintage revival that has favored fuller Elizabeth forms.

Did you know? Besse belonged to the horse-and-buggy generation: it was a familiar nickname-name in the eighteen-hundreds, cresting around 1889 with only a few dozen girls a year, and had faded well before mid-century.
Overall data confidence 60%
References - Besse β€” diminutive of Elizabeth via Bess < Elisheva

Variations

BessieBessBetsy

Nicknames

BessBessie

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Besse…

Bessieβ€” the fuller sister form of the same pet name
Bessβ€” the short form Besse extends
Hattieβ€” a like vintage nickname-name of the era
Nettieβ€” another homey nineteenth-century diminutive

Explore names like Besse

By themerarevintagediminutive

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Besse mean?

Besse is a diminutive of Elizabeth through Bess, from Hebrew Elisheva, 'my God is an oath'.

How do you pronounce Besse?

It's said BES-ee /ˈbΙ›s.i/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Besse a boy or girl name?

Besse is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Besse?

Besse was a familiar nickname-name in the late eighteen-hundreds and had faded well before mid-century.

πŸ’¬ Ask Nia