Bette
Alternative form of Betty (“diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth”).
Every Bette since 1896 — 34,919 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bette
Bette is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,103 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1896, 34,919 American babies have been named Bette. Its peak came in 1924, when 1,742 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Bette stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bette 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 | 8 | #11,103 | — | — |
| 2024 | 11 | #9,036 | — | — |
| 2023 | 15 | #7,309 | — | — |
| 2022 | 8 | #11,386 | — | — |
| 2021 | 6 | #13,760 | — | — |
| 2020 | 7 | #12,359 | — | — |
| 2019 | 5 | #15,921 | — | — |
| 2018 | 11 | #9,255 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,063 | — | — |
| 2015 | 9 | #11,034 | — | — |
| 2014 | 8 | #12,127 | — | — |
| 2013 | 7 | #13,402 | — | — |
| 2012 | 5 | #17,311 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 6 | #15,267 | — | — |
| 2009 | 5 | #17,730 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 7 | #14,153 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | 5 | #15,697 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | 6 | #11,565 | — | — |
| 1985 | 12 | #5,709 | — | — |
| 1980 | 17 | #4,344 | — | — |
| 1975 | 12 | #4,886 | — | — |
| 1970 | 32 | #2,359 | — | — |
| 1965 | 75 | #1,241 | — | — |
| 1960 | 145 | #859 | — | — |
| 1955 | 339 | #501 | — | — |
| 1950 | 459 | #377 | — | — |
| 1945 | 640 | #270 | — | — |
| 1940 | 729 | #233 | 5 | #3,495 |
| 1935 | 658 | #245 | — | — |
| 1930 | 774 | #221 | — | — |
| 1925 | 1,592 | #155 | — | — |
| 1920 | 1,000 | #196 | — | — |
| 1915 | 148 | #510 | — | — |
| 1910 | 21 | #943 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,751 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Bette
- Bette Davis Actor · 1908–1989
- Bette Midler Actor · b. 1945
- Bette Nesmith Graham Inventor · 1924–1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bette mean?
Alternative form of Betty (“diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth”).
How popular is the name Bette in 2025?
Bette ranked #11,103 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bette?
34,919 babies have been named Bette in the United States since 1896, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bette most popular?
Bette peaked in 1924, when 1,742 newborns received the name.
Is Bette a boy or girl name?
Bette is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bette rising or falling?
Bette is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bette?
Well-known people named Bette include Bette Davis (actor), Bette Midler (actor), Bette Nesmith Graham (inventor).