Debe

♀ Girl

Pronounced DEB-ee /ˈdɛbi/Medium

Meaning: Debe is a mid-century short form of Deborah, the biblical name from the Hebrew for 'bee,' by way of the nickname Debbie. Its meaning is inherited from Deborah, a name carried by a prophetess and judge in the Hebrew Bible.Low

In 30 seconds: Debe is a short form of Deborah, 'bee,' by way of Debbie. It stayed rare and peaked around 1957 (said DEB-ee).

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowHebrew

MeaningDebe is a mid-century short form of Deborah, the biblical name from the Hebrew for 'bee,' by way of the nickname Debbie. Its meaning is inherited from Deborah, a name carried by a prophetess and judge in the Hebrew Bible.

U.S. rank (1966)#6802 ↘ Falling

1966 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1957

Total births (all-time)≈ 122

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

Debe is a trim spelling of Debbie, itself short for Deborah, whose Hebrew root means 'bee.' Giving such short forms as full birth names was a mid-century American trend, and Debe is one of its rarer results, keeping Deborah's warm, familiar sound.

It was never common, given to only about sixteen girls a year at its peak around 1957, and faded by the late nineteen-sixties. A girl named Debe then is in her sixties today.

Did you know? Debe belongs to the mid-century fashion for turning nicknames like Debbie into given names in their own right, a hallmark of nineteen-fifties informality.

Overall data confidence 32%

References - Debe — Short form of Deborah/Debbie; Hebrew 'bee'; mid-century

Variations

DebbieDeborahDebbe

Nicknames

Deb

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Debe…

Debbie— the nickname Debe streamlines

Deborah— the parent name it derives from

Debra— a like short Deb- name

Debby— a related Debbie spelling

Explore names like Debe

By themerare vintage diminutive midcentury

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Debe mean?

It is a short form of Deborah, from the Hebrew for 'bee,' by way of Debbie.

How do you pronounce Debe?

It is said DEB-ee /ˈdɛbi/ - two syllables.

Is Debe a boy or girl name?

Debe is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Debe?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about sixteen girls a year at its peak in the nineteen-fifties.