Betty
Girl name · 16 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Betty: 16 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 4 births in 2021.
Betty began as a charming pet form of Elizabeth, ultimately deriving from the Hebrew name Elisheva, meaning "God is my oath." Its golden age arrived with Hollywood's "It Girl," Betty Boop, the flapper cartoon character who made the name synonymous with 1930s glamour and fun. A more grounded bearer was Betty Friedan, whose 1963 book *The Feminine Mystique* ignited the second-wave feminist movement in America. The name also evokes a uniquely Scottish connection: the Bettyhill area in Sutherland was named after Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland, a local landowner. While once a standalone favourite, Betty today often feels both vintage and fresh, a peppy alternative to the ever-popular Elizabeth or the similarly retro Betsy.
Girl 5 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 20214 babies
- Latest (2025)
- #7803 babies
- Total births
- 16since 2015
- 5-year trend
- ≈ stablevs prior 5y