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Bette

♀ Girl

Pronounced BET /ˈbɛt/High

Meaning: A short form of Elizabeth (via Betty) — from the Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'Low

In 30 seconds: God is my oath: Bette is a short form of Elizabeth. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'BET').

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Origin LowHebrew

MeaningA short form of Elizabeth (via Betty) — from the Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'

U.S. rank (2024)#9009 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births11 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1924

Total births (all-time)≈ 34,889

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Bette is a short form of Elizabeth (via Betty) — from the Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'. A crisp, vintage name (said 'BET').

In the U.S. it appears as a vintage short form of Elizabeth. Rare, God-is-my-oath at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Bette is a short form of Elizabeth (via Betty) — Hebrew 'God is my oath' — a crisp, vintage name (said 'BET', one syllable; sometimes 'BET-ee').

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Elizabeth — short form

Variations

BettyBettieBeth

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Bette…

Betty— a kin short form

Beth— a fellow Elizabeth short form

Betsy— a companion Elizabeth short form

Eliette— shares Bette's Hebrew roots

Annette— shares Bette's Hebrew roots

Explore names like Bette

By themehebrew nickname-name

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Bette mean?

Bette is a short form of Elizabeth — Hebrew 'God is my oath'.

How do you pronounce Bette?

It's said BET /bt/ — one syllable (sometimes BET-ee).

Is Bette a boy or girl name?

Bette is a girl's name.

How popular is Bette?

Bette is a very rare name in the U.S. today.