Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1889

Bess

Meaning Variant of Beth, a clipping of Elizabeth Gender Girl Rank 2025 #15,307

Variant of Beth, a clipping of Elizabeth.

Rank 2025
#15,307
among girls
Babies in 2025
5
named Bess
How common
1 in 321,453
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1889
182 babies
All-time total
7,176
#2,044 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Bess popularity over time

7,176 babies have been named Bess since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.380.751.131.518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 1,099 – 1,099 110 – #157
1890s 1,526 5 1,531 153 +39% #190
1900s 1,030 – 1,030 103 -33% #280
1910s 1,076 – 1,076 108 +4% #415
1920s 645 – 645 65 -40% #798
1930s 251 – 251 25 -61% #1,253
1940s 270 – 270 27 +8% #1,386
1950s 257 – 257 26 -5% #1,772
1960s 219 – 219 22 -15% #1,993
1970s 203 – 203 20 -7% #2,578
1980s 293 – 293 29 +44% #2,475
1990s 127 – 127 13 -57% #5,586
2000s 97 – 97 10 -24% #6,573
2010s 59 – 59 6 -39% #12,126
2020s (to 2025) 19 – 19 3 -46% #11,260

The story of Bess

Bess is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #15,307 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 7,176 American babies have been named Bess. Its peak came in 1889, when 182 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the late 1800s.

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 Bess stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Bess?

The median living Bess is about 52 years old; half are between 38 and 70. An estimated 1,400 people named Bess are alive in the United States today.

median 52 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Bess 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 5 #15,307 – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 6 #13,868 – –
2021 – – – –
2020 8 #11,260 – –
2019 5 #15,918 – –
2018 7 #12,699 – –
2017 – – – –
2016 6 #14,625 – –
2015 6 #14,797 – –
2014 8 #12,126 – –
2013 7 #13,401 – –
2012 6 #15,266 – –
2011 7 #13,587 – –
2010 7 #13,688 – –
2009 8 #12,620 – –
2008 7 #14,071 – –
2007 8 #12,856 – –
2006 6 #15,428 – –
2005 18 #6,573 – –
2004 5 #16,475 – –
2003 12 #8,595 – –
2002 14 #7,492 – –
2001 10 #9,462 – –
2000 9 #10,009 – –
1995 11 #7,577 – –
1990 16 #5,586 – –
1985 27 #3,256 – –
1980 28 #3,075 – –
1975 11 #5,188 – –
1970 19 #3,320 – –
1965 19 #2,843 – –
1960 26 #2,314 – –
1955 23 #2,282 – –
1950 15 #2,670 – –
1945 21 #1,831 – –
1940 29 #1,409 – –
1935 17 #1,930 – –
1930 36 #1,253 – –
1925 64 #932 – –
1920 82 #798 – –
1915 122 #589 – –
1910 88 #421 – –
1905 87 #362 – –
1900 134 #280 – –
1895 150 #224 – –
1890 154 #190 – –
1885 97 #192 – –
1880 46 #227 – –

Famous people named Bess

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Bess Armstrong Bess Armstrong American actress (born 1953) Contemporary
  2. 2 Bess Truman Bess Truman First Lady of the United States from 1945 to 1953 1885–1982 · 19th century
  3. 3 Bess Meredyth Bess Meredyth American film actress and screenwriter (1890–1969) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Bess, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Bess?

The median living Bess is about 52 years old. Half of all living Besss are between 38 and 70 years old.

How many people named Bess are alive today?

An estimated 1,400 people named Bess are alive in the United States, based on 7,176 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Bess mean?

Variant of Beth, a clipping of Elizabeth.

How popular is the name Bess in 2025?

Bess ranked #15,307 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Bess?

7,176 babies have been named Bess in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Bess most popular?

Bess peaked in 1889, when 182 newborns received the name.

Is Bess a boy or girl name?

Bess is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Bess rising or falling?

Bess is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Bess?

Well-known people named Bess include Bess Armstrong (actor), Bess Truman (politician), Bess Meredyth (writer).

Names like Bess

Names that sound and feel close to Bess: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Bess with similar names → More names starting with B →