Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1924

Bette

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #11,103

Alternative form of Betty (“diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth”).

Rank 2025
#11,103
among girls · ↓2,067 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
8
named Bette
How common
1 in 200,908
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1924
1,742 babies
All-time total
34,919
#749 all-time among girls
First recorded
1896
in Social Security records

Bette popularity over time

34,919 babies have been named Bette since 1896, 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 – – – – – –
1890s 15 – 15 2 – #1,576
1900s 108 – 108 11 +620% #942
1910s 2,288 – 2,288 229 +2019% #236
1920s 13,273 12 13,285 1,329 +481% #148
1930s 7,389 5 7,394 739 -44% #205
1940s 7,034 5 7,039 704 -5% #229
1950s 3,438 – 3,438 344 -51% #359
1960s 890 – 890 89 -74% #859
1970s 181 – 181 18 -80% #2,359
1980s 99 – 99 10 -45% #4,344
1990s 45 – 45 5 -55% #7,016
2000s 17 – 17 2 -62% #14,153
2010s 65 – 65 7 +282% #8,063
2020s (to 2025) 55 – 55 9 +41% #7,309

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.

How old are people named Bette?

The median living Bette is about 79 years old; half are between 72 and 85. An estimated 11 thousand people named Bette are alive in the United States today.

median 79 020406080100

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

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

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

  1. 1 Bette Davis Bette Davis American actress (1908–1989) Contemporary
  2. 2 Bette Midler Bette Midler American actress and singer (born 1945) Contemporary
  3. 3 Bette Nesmith Graham Bette Nesmith Graham American typist and inventor of Liquid Paper (1924–1980) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Bette?

The median living Bette is about 79 years old. Half of all living Bettes are between 72 and 85 years old.

How many people named Bette are alive today?

An estimated 11 thousand people named Bette are alive in the United States, based on 34,919 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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).

Names like Bette

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

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