Betty
Meaning: Its source is Elisheva, a Hebrew name meaning "God's promise."
Languages: This girl's name is used in Dutch and English.
Nickname For: Elizabeth
Compound Forms: Bettyann
Popularity: The name Betty ranked 14th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative: Other suggested meanings still relate to the fulfillment of a promise. They include ''God's satisfaction'' and ''God's perfection.''
Until the 16th-century reign of England's Queen Elizabeth I, this name was most commonly spelled with an ''s'' in the middle. Such was the popularity of Good Queen Bess that her spelling has reigned supreme ever since.
Speaking of Bess, this name is the Mother of All Nicknames, Spellings and Alternate Forms. We've counted close to 70 so far, and we are still looking!
Arts and Music
- ''Along Came Betty''
- Words and music by Benny Golson; published in 1958 (see list of Names in Song titles)
Leadership
- Betty Bumpers
Peace activist.
- 1985 National Council of Women''s Women of Conscience award winner for her Peace Links organization, which involved 40,000 women in the disarmament movement (see list of Women of Conscience Award winners)
- Betty Cohen
American businesswoman
- 50th Most Powerful Woman, President , Cartoon Network (see list of 2000 Fortune 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business)
- Betty B. Fletcher
American judge.
- Circuit Judge, Ninth Circuit Court (see list of Judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals)
- Betty Friedan (born 1921)
American author and feminist.
- Founded the National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest feminist organization in the United States, in 1966 (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- Betty Mae Jumper
Native American leader.
- Tribal Chairman of the Seminole and editor of the Seminole Tribune (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- Betty Williams (born 1944)
Irish peace activist. Co-founder of Peace People, an organization dedicated to ending the fighting in Northern Ireland.
- 1976 Nobel Prize winner for Peace (see list of Nobel Peace Prize Winners)
Miscellaneous
- Betty Carol
- 1958 Mademoiselle Award winner (see list of Mademoiselle Award Winners)
- Elizabeth Bloomer Warren ''Betty'' Ford (born 1918)
American first lady. Known for her drug and alcohol treatment centers.
- 1975 Time Magazine Man of the Year, sharing the honor with 11 other women (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- Wife of Gerald R. Ford, 38th President (see list of United States First Ladies)
- 1991 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- Betty Friedan (born 1921)
American author and feminist.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Betty Bone Schiess
American priest and feminist. One of the first women to be ordained by the Episcopal church (1974).
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
Science and Philosophy
- Betty Sullivan
American chemist.
- 1954 winner of the American Chemical Society''s Garvan Medal (see list of Chemists)
Sports
- Betty Burfeindt
- 1976 Ladies'' Professional Golf Association champion (see list of LPGA Champions)
- Betty Cook
Power boat driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Power Boats (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Betty Jameson
- 1947 U.S. Women''s Open golf tournament winner (see list of U.S. Open Golf Champions)
- Betty Kuczynski
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Betty Mivelaz
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Betty Morris
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Betty Hicks Newell
American golfer.
- 1941 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- Betty Nuthall
- 1930 U. S. Tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
Stage and Screen
- Betty Anderson
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Elinor Donahue (see list of Characters on ''Father Knows Best'')
- Betty
Fictional character.
- From ''''Rugrats'''' (see list of Cartoon characters)
- Played by Carmen Elias (see list of Character from Almodovar's The Flower of My Secret)
- Betty Blythe (born 1893, died 1972)
American silent-film actress.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Betty Buckley
American actress.
- Portrayed Sandra Sue Abbott ''''Abby'''' Bradford (see list of Actors on ''Eight is Enough'')
- Betty Comden (born 1919)
American writer. With Adolph Green, created many famous musical comedies, including Singin' in the Rain.
- 1991 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- Betty Compson
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Betty Furness (born 1916, died 1994)
American actress.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Betty Garrett (born 1919)
American actress.
- Portrayed Irene Lorenzo from 1973-76 (see list of Actors on ''All in the Family'')
- Betty Grable (born 1916, died 1973)
American actress.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Betty Hutton (born 1921)
American actress and singer.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Betty Lynn
- Portrayed Thelma Lou (see list of Actors on ''The Andy Griffith Show'')
- Betty Ramsey
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Mary Jane Croft (see list of Characters on ''I Love Lucy'')
- Betty Rubble
Fictional character.
- From ''''The Flintstones'''' (see list of Cartoon characters)
- Betty Shabazz
Historical Figure.
- Wife of Malcolm X played by Angela Bassett (see list of Character from Spike Lee's Malcolm X)
- Betty Thomas (born 1947)
American actress.
- Portrayed Officer/Sgt. Lucille Bates (see list of Actors on ''Hill Street Blues'')
- Betty White (born 1922)
American actress.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Portrayed Rose Nylund (see list of Actors on ''The Golden Girls'')
- Portrayed Sue Ann Nivens from 1973-77 (see list of Actors on ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'')
The Literary World
- Betty Ambler
Fictional character.
- Character in Battle Ground by Ellen Glasgow (see list of Characters in Literature of the American South)
- Betty Harty
Fictional character.
- Character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt (see list of Characters in Literature of the American South)
- Betty Ripsom
Fictional character.
- A murder victim in Stephen King''s novel It (see list of Characters in It)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Betty Boop
- Betty Rubble
- Wetty
- Betsy Bet
- Ever-Ready Betty
Associations:
''Betty'' is a British slang term for a girl.
Betty Boop, a cartoon character based on singer Helen Kane, was created by Max Fleischer in 1915.
