Beth
A diminutive of the female given names Elizabeth and Bethany.
Every Beth since 1884 — 159,755 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Beth
Beth is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,405 in 2025 with 45 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1884, 159,755 American babies have been named Beth. Its peak came in 1961, when 6,731 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Beth stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Beth year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45 | #3,405 | — | — |
| 2024 | 53 | #3,054 | — | — |
| 2023 | 31 | #4,476 | — | — |
| 2022 | 40 | #3,775 | — | — |
| 2021 | 52 | #3,118 | — | — |
| 2020 | 43 | #3,507 | — | — |
| 2019 | 33 | #4,268 | — | — |
| 2018 | 46 | #3,407 | — | — |
| 2017 | 38 | #3,925 | — | — |
| 2016 | 39 | #3,862 | — | — |
| 2015 | 44 | #3,540 | — | — |
| 2014 | 45 | #3,495 | — | — |
| 2013 | 35 | #4,173 | — | — |
| 2012 | 47 | #3,427 | — | — |
| 2011 | 49 | #3,312 | — | — |
| 2010 | 36 | #4,122 | — | — |
| 2009 | 40 | #3,883 | — | — |
| 2008 | 69 | #2,665 | — | — |
| 2007 | 61 | #2,934 | — | — |
| 2006 | 85 | #2,251 | — | — |
| 2005 | 57 | #2,873 | — | — |
| 2004 | 103 | #1,835 | — | — |
| 2003 | 103 | #1,814 | — | — |
| 2002 | 107 | #1,709 | — | — |
| 2001 | 156 | #1,259 | — | — |
| 2000 | 161 | #1,231 | — | — |
| 1995 | 283 | #722 | — | — |
| 1990 | 663 | #392 | — | — |
| 1985 | 1,341 | #199 | 6 | #5,859 |
| 1980 | 2,848 | #106 | 10 | #3,874 |
| 1975 | 2,323 | #120 | 8 | #3,982 |
| 1970 | 4,247 | #92 | 12 | #2,749 |
| 1965 | 5,774 | #66 | 12 | #2,379 |
| 1960 | 6,257 | #72 | 10 | #2,696 |
| 1955 | 3,272 | #133 | 8 | #2,985 |
| 1950 | 1,580 | #177 | — | — |
| 1945 | 806 | #234 | — | — |
| 1940 | 470 | #290 | — | — |
| 1935 | 343 | #345 | — | — |
| 1930 | 251 | #414 | — | — |
| 1925 | 315 | #384 | — | — |
| 1920 | 349 | #349 | — | — |
| 1915 | 209 | #414 | — | — |
| 1910 | 63 | #517 | — | — |
| 1905 | 22 | #780 | — | — |
| 1900 | 29 | #658 | — | — |
| 1895 | 22 | #660 | — | — |
| 1890 | 15 | #694 | — | — |
| 1885 | 9 | #750 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Beth
- Beth Hart Singer · b. 1972
- Beth Carvalho Singer · 1946–2019
- Beth Gibbons Musician · b. 1965
- Beth Grant Actor · b. 1949
- Beth Broderick Actor · b. 1959
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Beth mean?
A diminutive of the female given names Elizabeth and Bethany.
How popular is the name Beth in 2025?
Beth ranked #3,405 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 45 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Beth?
159,755 babies have been named Beth in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Beth most popular?
Beth peaked in 1961, when 6,731 newborns received the name.
Is Beth a boy or girl name?
Beth is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Beth rising or falling?
Beth has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Beth?
Well-known people named Beth include Beth Hart (singer), Beth Carvalho (singer), Beth Gibbons (musician).