Betty
Girl name · #1114 in 2025 · Uniqueness 61/100
Betty ranks #1114 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 212 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1266, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 8,491 girls born in 2025 was named Betty.
The 145-year story
Betty first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 117 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1930, when 38,240 girls were named Betty — good for #2 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Betty per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Betty against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Betty in class?
Betty scores 61 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Betty is most common
Geography matters for names, and Betty is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Bettys were TX (18), CA (15), NY (12), MO (11), OH (11). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Betty
Statistically, parents drawn to Betty tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Joan, Shirley, Beverly, Nancy, and Sally.
JoanShirleyBeverlyNancySallyJoyceBillieNorma
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Betty | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 212 | #1113 |
| 2024 | 253 | #1012 |
| 2023 | 202 | #1186 |
| 2022 | 210 | #1157 |
| 2021 | 205 | #1187 |
| 2020 | 198 | #1173 |
| 2019 | 163 | #1377 |
| 2018 | 216 | #1130 |
| 2017 | 177 | #1317 |
| 2016 | 179 | #1327 |
| 2015 | 192 | #1266 |
| 2014 | 196 | #1240 |
| 2013 | 177 | #1321 |
| 2012 | 141 | #1552 |
| 2011 | 167 | #1372 |
| 2010 | 136 | #1593 |
| 2009 | 150 | #1516 |
| 2008 | 141 | #1605 |
| 2007 | 135 | #1645 |
| 2006 | 138 | #1567 |
| 2005 | 135 | #1525 |
| 2004 | 140 | #1453 |
| 2003 | 148 | #1365 |
| 2002 | 129 | #1480 |
| 2001 | 154 | #1277 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Betty a popular girl name?
Betty ranked #1114 among girls in 2025 with 212 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1266.
When was the name Betty most popular?
Betty peaked in 1930, when 38,240 American girls received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 1930 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Betty?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 8,491 newborn American girls was named Betty. It scores 61/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.