Meaning: Its source is Elisheva, a Hebrew name meaning "God's promise."

Languages: This girl's name is used in German and Dutch.

Nickname For: Elisabeth

Popularity: The name Ilse ranked 1689th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

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!